Grand Canyon University Men's Swimming

Schaffer begins his ninth season as Grand Canyon head mens and womens swimming and diving coach in 2016-17. In Canyon's inaugural Division I campaign, Schaffer guided the men to a fourth-place finish and the women to a fifth-place finish at the WAC Swimming and Diving Championships. One GCU swimmer, Iegor Lytvenok, posted a time in the 400 IM that would have earned him a place in the NCAA Championships had GCU been able to attend. In addition, the GCU men took first and the women third at the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitationalwhich kicked off its first year in 2014. Schaffer was instrumental in the creation of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational, which allows individuals who have not qualified for the NCAA Swimming Championships to have the opportunity to compete in a postseason championship. As a follow up in their second transitional season to Division I, Grand Canyon placed fourth again on the men's side and moved up to fourth on the women's side at the WAC Championship in 2015. Hannah Kastigar was named the women's swimmer of the year at the WAC Championship after winning three events. Two GCU swimmers, Lytvenok (400 IM and 200 IM) and Kastigar (400 IM), posted times that would have qualified for the NCAA Championships had GCU been able to attend. GCU finished the 2014-15 season with the mens team ranked 49th in Division I by CollegeSwimming.com. The womens team was ranked 77th in the Division I ranks. Most recently, during the 2015-16 season, both the men and women had a solid improvement, earning a third place finish in the 2016 WAC Championships. Under Schaffer's leadership, the men's and women's swimming and diving teams have been equally impressive in the classroom. The 2015-16 season marks the 13th straight semester that both were named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team. In addition, senior Ivan Nechunaev was selected to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Division I At-Large team. Nechunaev was one of just four swimmers to be named to the first team. Shaffer's experience also goes well beyond the collegiate ranks. He  coached Eetu Karvonen as a post-graduate to two Masters world records in the 50 and 100 breaststroke events in 2013, and his international coaching experience includes serving as head coach at the World University Games (Finland, 2013) and also coached twice in the FINA World Championships (Finland, 2013; Zambia, 2015). He even took his skills to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio as a memer of the Zambian staff. During those international competitions, Schaffer helped GCU alum Etu Karvonen to a semifinals appearance in the 50 breaststroke in 2013 while aiding record-setting performances two years later. In the 2015 World Championships, Shaffer's assistance helped former Lope Youssef El Kamash break two Egyptian records (50 and 100 breaststroke) while Jade Howard, who also swam under Schaffer at GCU, added two Zambian national marks (50 and 100 freestyle). Daria Talanova was the third GCU swimmer on the world stage that year, competing for Kyrgyzstan  . Schaffer took over as Grand Canyon swimming coach in July 2008, becoming the schools second head coach. Under his guidance the program has made tremendous strides, highlighted by two fourth-place finishes by the men at the Division II Championships, doing so during the 2010-11 and 2012-13 campaigns. The womens team recorded a school-best finish of fifth at the 2011-12 Division II Championships and took home two-straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in their final two seasons in that league. Schaffer has won numerous awards in his short tenure at GCU, including being named the 2011 Division II Mens Swimming Coach of the Year, as well as the RMAC Womens Coach of the Year twice in 2012 and 2013, and 2015 CSCAA National Invitational Mens and Womens Coach of the Year. Schaffer has directed the schools first three individual national champions in five-time Division II champion Eetu Karvonen who twice won the 100 and 200 breaststroke titles, while Mychala Lynch captured the 100 fly on two occasions. Michael Branning won the 50 free title in 2013. Schaffer has an extensive coaching resume having made stops at some of the Valleys elite swimming programs. He coached Desert Aquatics Club/Desert Thunder Aquatics from 1989 to 2006. In 2001, he coached DTACs first national finalist, backstroker Amy Wagner, who finished sixth at the USA Swimming National Championships. Schaffer was Desert Vista High Schools coach from 1995 to 2003. His boys teams won region titles from 1998 to 2000 and girls league championships in 1999 and 2000. He was a member of the board of directors of Arizona Swimming, Inc., from 1992 to 2003 and served as the technical planning chairman of Arizona Swimming from 1994 to 2003. In 1993-94, Schaffer was a volunteer assistant coach at Arizona State, assisting the womens team. Prior to ASU, he was the head coach at Tempe Marcos de Niza High School. Schaffer also was the head coach of Berkshire Aquatics in Williamstown, Mass. from 1988-89. There, he coached Eric McIlquham, who later won a Division II national championship, and then went on to become the head coach at Alabama. Schaffer was named the Arizona Interscholastic Association Class 5A Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1999. He was the region coach of the year in 1992 and from 1997 to 2001. Schaffer received the American Swimming Coaches Association Award of Excellence in 1994 and 2010-13. In 1995, he was Arizona Swimmings Volunteer of the Year. Prior to taking over at GCU, Schaffer worked as the Childrens Ministry Associate and Interim Childrens Pastor at Mountain Park Community Church from 2006 to 2008. He was responsible for group worship for grades 1-5. He is married to Deb Schaffer, and has a daughter, Kara, and two step-children, Dean and Angela, and lives in Scottsdale.

Ide is in his sixth year working with the GCU swimming program in 2016-17. He came to Phoenix 13 years ago as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Swim Club where he coached the Gold Group and Masters team. Originally from Osaka, Japan, Ide attended Tenri University and was the captain of the swim team his senior season. Ide is an excellent stroke technician and student of the science of the sport. In 2014, he was invited to present a paper entitled The Effect of Leg Straightness on Lactate Production and Performance in Butterfly: A Case Study Using the Mens Asian Record Holder at the International Convention on Science, Education, and Medicine in Sport in Glasgow, Scotland. In addition, Ide is working on completing his Ph.D. in exercise science.   Ide has coached swimmers from numerous countries to 10 national records and one U.S. Open Championship. Additionally, he has led swimmers under his tutelage to seven Asian records, seven Japanese national records, and one Ecuador national record.

Dilworth enters his second season as an assistant coach with the GCU swimming and diving program in 2015-16. He joined the Canyon swim family after being a standout student-athlete at Wyoming. At Wyoming, Dilworth was a 12-time Mountain West finalist and two-time conference champion in the 100-backstroke. In addition to his success in the pool, he was an academic all-conference honoree and was the president of Wyomings Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Dilworth still sits among the top five in several events all-time at Wyoming. His list of coaching stints include the Chester Penguins in Chester, Mont., the Arizona Swimming Gauchos, and an internship with the Wyoming swimming program.   Dilworth graduated from Wyoming with a bachelors degree in kinesiology and health promotion.

Siekman enters her first year working with the GCU swimming program in 2016-17. Siekman began her competitive swimming career at the age of 6.  The sport of swimming provided a solid foundation in her life, one filled with self-discipline, a hard work ethic, determination, as well as great time management and goal setting skills.  Siekman attended Shadow Mountain High School, in Phoenix, Arizona and was a four-time High School All-American, the Arizona Republic Outstanding Female Athlete her senior year and an Arizona State Record Holder.  She attended the University of Arkansas where she continued her swimming career as a 3 time Division 1 NCAA All-American Swimmer.  During the summer months, Siekman worked as the Head Coach of Bell Air Swim Team.  Upon graduating, Stacey accepted a job with Scottsdale Aquatics Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.  She was the club team coach as well as the Head Masters Coach.  She became the Head Coach of Desert Mountain High School Swim and Dive Team where she coached for four years.  In 1995, Siekman started Water Bugs, Inc., a learn to swim program.  She was the Senior Instructor for more than 20 years.  Throughout her coaching and teaching career, Siekman has worked with elite athletes of all ages as well as teaching everyone from infants to adults how to swim. Siekmans coaching/teaching experience and love for the sport of swimming goes well beyond the pool deck.  She became a Licensed Massage Therapist and was able to work with many athletes to enhance their level of performance and help speed up the recovery process in and out of the water.  In 2010-11, she became a Certified Life & Movement Coach in addition to launching Balanced Body Reflections (BBR), a health and wellness company that shapes, stretches, and challenges individuals to move in a powerful new way.  She shares the Heart of BBR through the development of the following programs:         *H.I.T. Excellence Movement & Coaching Series ( H eart, I mage, T ruth)         *Intentional & Functional Core Training Programs: (Core-Sage, t Training®, and          Tiny t Training®)         *Women & Teen Hearts in Transition Workshops & Retreats   On March 7, 2015, Siekman published her first book, .  She has a deep passion for this work.  Her God-given purpose is to empower and encourage individuals to strive to H.I.T. Excellence and to shine in their own image of greatness, both in and out of the water.    Siekman has been married for more than 20 years to Chris Siekman and they have two beautiful daughters, Shaeli and Adalyn.