University of South Dakota Men's Swimming
Academic Snapshot
Acceptance Rate
99%
Avg SAT
1,122
Avg ACT
22
Enrollment
5,239
Team Information
Sport
Swimming
Gender
Men's
Division
NCAA Division 1
Location
Vermillion, SD
Coaching Staff (2)
Jason Mahowald
Head Coach
Mahowalds 12th as the head men's and women's swimming and diving coach at the University of South Dakota. Mahowald began his tenure in 2005-06 when the Coyotes were in Division II and has guided the program through the transition to Division I. Mahowald began his coaching career by leading the womens swimming and diving team to three-straight top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division II National Championships, including an eighth-place finish in 2005-06, which tied for the programs best result. That same year the womens swimming and diving team was named an Academic All-American team by collegeswimming.com. During the three-year stretch (2005-08) that Mahowald coached the Coyotes in Division II, he led the mens and womens teams to 29 All-America performances, 24 of which were individual performances. Mahowald has received coach of the year honors twice. In 2006-07, Mahowald was named the North Central Conference Coach of the Year. In 2008-09, the one year the Coyotes spent in the Northern Sun Conference, Mahowald was named the NSC Coach of the Year. That same year, he was also honored as one of the outstanding coaches for the season by the American Swimming Coaches Association and received the Coaching Excellence Award. USD made the jump to Division I in 2009-10 and the swimming and diving teams joined the Summit League. Mahowald coached the mens and womens teams to a third-place finish in 2012, the best finish for both teams. He also led the women to a third-place finish in 2016. Throughout his career, Mahowald has coached 28 individuals and two relay teams to conference titles in the NCC, NSC and the Summit. A total of 20 individuals and 13 teams have earned All-Summit League honors for placing third or better in their events. Ten athletes were named to the All-Academic Team in the Summit League and four were named to All-Academic NCC and NSC teams. Swimmer Elizabeth Hoffman was twice named Academic All-District in 2009-10 and 2011-12. Swimmer Colin Krysl joined Hoffman on the 2011-12 team. Mahowald led diver Jill Smolczyk to the Coyotes first-ever Division II national title as she won the one-meter dive in 2007-08. She was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Womens At-Large team in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Smolczyk was also named Outstanding Diver at the NCC Championships in 2007-08. Mahowald helped coach diver Greysen Hertting to three straight one- and three-meter Summit League diving championship titles from 2013-16. Every season, Hertting was named the Womens Diving Championship MVP and Summit League Diver of the Year. She is the only female diver in Summit League history to accomplish the feat. Also earning awards under Mahowald are: Scott Bruce who was named Mens NCC Newcomer of the Year in 2005-06, Smolczyk was the Diver of the Year for the NCC in 2006-07, Leita Rolfe was named Co-Outstanding Swimmer of the NCC Championships in 2007-08, Thad Stoddard was named Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year in the NSC for 2008-09 and Emilie Kluth was named to the 2007-08 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Womens At-Large Team. Mahowald earned a bachelors degree in business administration from Wisconsin- Stevens Point (2002) where he was a four-year letter winner and swimming and diving team captain. He received a master's degree in sports administration from Ball State University (2005). As assistant swimming coach (graduate assistant) at Ball State from August 2003 prior to his arrival at USD in 2005, Mahowald conducted workouts, arranged travels needs, and served as a recruiter for the program. He served as an assistant swim camp director (2004) at Ball State and was the Longhorn Swim Camp Coach at the University of Texas (2001, 2003) where he worked with Olympic Coach Eddie Reese and World Championship Coach Jill Sterkel. While in high school, Mahowald was a national top-16 swimmer for the Hastings-Area Swim Team in Minnesota. Mahowald and his wife, Melanie, live in Vermillion with their daughter, Addelle, and sons Luke, Bridger and Ryker. The 2016-17 season will be Jason Mahowalds 12 th as the head men's and women's swimming and diving coach at the University of South Dakota. Mahowald began his tenure in 2005-06 when the Coyotes were in Division II and has guided the program through the transition to Division I. Mahowald began his coaching career by leading the womens swimming and diving team to three-straight top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division II National Championships, including an eighth-place finish in 2005-06, which tied for the programs best result. That same year the womens swimming and diving team was named an Academic All-American team by collegeswimming.com. During the three-year stretch (2005-08) that Mahowald coached the Coyotes in Division II, he led the mens and womens teams to 29 All-America performances, 24 of which were individual performances. Mahowald has received coach of the year honors twice. In 2006-07, Mahowald was named the North Central Conference Coach of the Year. In 2008-09, the one year the Coyotes spent in the Northern Sun Conference, Mahowald was named the NSC Coach of the Year. That same year, he was also honored as one of the outstanding coaches for the season by the American Swimming Coaches Association and received the Coaching Excellence Award. USD made the jump to Division I in 2009-10 and the swimming and diving teams joined the Summit League. Mahowald coached the mens and womens teams to a third-place finish in 2012, the best finish for both teams. He also led the women to a third-place finish in 2016. Throughout his career, Mahowald has coached 28 individuals and two relay teams to conference titles in the NCC, NSC and the Summit. A total of 20 individuals and 13 teams have earned All-Summit League honors for placing third or better in their events. Ten athletes were named to the All-Academic Team in the Summit League and four were named to All-Academic NCC and NSC teams. Swimmer Elizabeth Hoffman was twice named Academic All-District in 2009-10 and 2011-12. Swimmer Colin Krysl joined Hoffman on the 2011-12 team. Mahowald led diver Jill Smolczyk to the Coyotes first-ever Division II national title as she won the one-meter dive in 2007-08. She was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Womens At-Large team in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Smolczyk was also named Outstanding Diver at the NCC Championships in 2007-08. Mahowald helped coach diver Greysen Hertting to three straight one- and three-meter Summit League diving championship titles from 2013-16. Every season, Hertting was named the Womens Diving Championship MVP and Summit League Diver of the Year. She is the only female diver in Summit League history to accomplish the feat. Also earning awards under Mahowald are: Scott Bruce who was named Mens NCC Newcomer of the Year in 2005-06, Smolczyk was the Diver of the Year for the NCC in 2006-07, Leita Rolfe was named Co-Outstanding Swimmer of the NCC Championships in 2007-08, Thad Stoddard was named Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year in the NSC for 2008-09 and Emilie Kluth was named to the 2007-08 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Womens At-Large Team. Mahowald earned a bachelors degree in business administration from Wisconsin- Stevens Point (2002) where he was a four-year letter winner and swimming and diving team captain. He received a master's degree in sports administration from Ball State University (2005). As assistant swimming coach (graduate assistant) at Ball State from August 2003 prior to his arrival at USD in 2005, Mahowald conducted workouts, arranged travels needs, and served as a recruiter for the program. He served as an assistant swim camp director (2004) at Ball State and was the Longhorn Swim Camp Coach at the University of Texas (2001, 2003) where he worked with Olympic Coach Eddie Reese and World Championship Coach Jill Sterkel. While in high school, Mahowald was a national top-16 swimmer for the Hastings-Area Swim Team in Minnesota. Mahowald and his wife, Melanie, live in Vermillion with their daughter, Addelle, and sons Luke, Bridger and Ryker.
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Kris Jorgensen
Assistant Coach
Jorgensen was named the 2015-16 Summit League Diving Coach of the Year after leading two divers to all-Summit League honors. He coached junior Greysen Hertting to one- and three-meter diving titles and senior Chase Testa to a third-place finish in the one-meter dive. Jorgensen also helped freshman Sarah Schank finish fourth in both dives. Jorgensen spent three years from 2012-15 as the head diving coach at St. Catherine University. He coached several all-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honorees, including two-time all-MIAC Diver of the Year Jenna Nagy. Beyond the collegiate realm, Jorgensen also coached at the Minnesota Diving Academy for three years and founded the Highland Diving Club in 2014. Jorgensen received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2013. He completed his master's degree in applied sport and exercise science from Minnesota in May of 2015. As a diver at Minnesota, Jorgensen was the 2012 Big Ten Co-Diver of the Championship after winning the 10-meter dive. He finished runner-up in the event in 2011. A native of Norway, Jorgensen won 12 national championships and competed for the Norwegian national team from 2004-12. He competed at the 2009 and 2011 World University Games. Jorgensen placed eighth in the 10-meter synchronized event at the 2008 European Championships. Kris Jorgensen Assistant Coach/Diving In his first season as South Dakotas diving coach, Kris Jorgensen was named the 2015-16 Summit League Diving Coach of the Year after leading two divers to all-Summit League honors. He coached junior Greysen Hertting to one- and three-meter diving titles and senior Chase Testa to a third-place finish in the one-meter dive. Jorgensen also helped freshman Sarah Schank finish fourth in both dives. Jorgensen spent three years from 2012-15 as the head diving coach at St. Catherine University. He coached several all-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honorees, including two-time all-MIAC Diver of the Year Jenna Nagy. Beyond the collegiate realm, Jorgensen also coached at the Minnesota Diving Academy for three years and founded the Highland Diving Club in 2014. Jorgensen received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2013. He completed his master's degree in applied sport and exercise science from Minnesota in May of 2015. As a diver at Minnesota, Jorgensen was the 2012 Big Ten Co-Diver of the Championship after winning the 10-meter dive. He finished runner-up in the event in 2011. A native of Norway, Jorgensen won 12 national championships and competed for the Norwegian national team from 2004-12. He competed at the 2009 and 2011 World University Games. Jorgensen placed eighth in the 10-meter synchronized event at the 2008 European Championships.
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