Miami swimming and diving looks to have sustained success with new coaching staff in 2024

The Miami University RedHawks swimming and diving team is a storied program that boasts continuous power over the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Under former head coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron, both the men’s and women’s teams have found great success in the conference.

The women’s team is the most successful program in the MAC with 17 championships. The RedHawks have been a threatening presence in the conference and were the runner-ups to last year’s eventual champions, the University of Akron Zips.

The men’s team has won five of the last six MAC championships. In March, it won its fourth consecutive championship ahead of the runner-up Missouri State University Bears.

Bonewit-Cron’s success earned her the MAC Coach of the Year award in 2023, her fourth in a row. However, after eight years with the RedHawks, she left the conference and Miami to coach the Penn State University Nittany Lions.

On July 8, it was announced that Samantha Pitter, former associate head coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, will step in as Miami’s new head swimming and diving coach.

Pitter brings 16 years of collegiate coaching experience to Oxford. After coaching with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Engineers from 2008-13, she spent eight seasons on the coaching staff for the Harvard University Crimson. Most recently, she spent two seasons as the associate head coach at Pittsburgh.

Pitter chose the head coaching position days before she traveled to Paris for the Olympics.

Jayla Pina, a junior swimmer for the Panthers, represented her mother’s home country of Cape Verde at the Paris Olympics this summer. Each athlete representing Cape Verde brought a support staff member, and Pitter was chosen to work with Pina.

“It was amazing,” Pitter said. “The venues at the Olympic games were unreal. It still feels a little surreal seeing everybody having so much pride representing their countries.”

With her experience on the international stage and as a three-time coach for the United States national team, Pitter brings a wealth of knowledge to Miami.

“Miami has both great academics and athletic opportunities,” Pitter said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to take this program further and higher, but also to set athletes up for life was appealing.”

Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter

Pitter has a strong track record as a coach, securing eight championships with both MIT and Harvard. She also recently brought the most NCAA qualifiers to the men’s program in school history at Pittsburgh.

Joining her are two new assistant coaches in Kevin Menke and Flynn Crisci.

Menke comes to Miami with over a decade of coaching experience. He has local coaching experience at both the South YMCA Swim Team in Dayton since 2013 and as the head coach for Crestwood Swim Club from 2014-18.

The coaching experience Menke brings derives from his swimming career for the Wright State University Raiders from 2013-2016. He is thrilled to stay in southwest Ohio.

“It’s exciting to be a part of the program here, and it’s exciting to be working with the great group of student athletes here,” Menke said.

For Crisci, this will be his first collegiate coaching job. He began his collegiate swimming career at the University of William and Mary Tribe, where he spent his first season. He transferred to Pittsburgh as a sophomore and spent three seasons with the Panthers.

It was here where Pitter coached him.

“[She is] one of the best coaches in the country and one of the most underrated,” Crisci said. “To be able to work with her and to learn from her is one of the best opportunities I could ever be given. I’m super thankful that I have the opportunity.”

Crisci completed his collegiate career with the University of Tennessee Volunteers, where he set the school record with a mark of 51.51 in the 100 breast at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

Miami diving is also welcoming in a new diving coach, Charlie Retter.

Retter held coaching positions at the Woodlands Diving Club in Texas for two years and at Duke Diving Club in North Carolina for six years. Pitter spoke highly of Retter’s ability to develop young diving talent.

“He is well-known among club coaches, and he will attract the high-level divers we want at Miami,” Pitter said. “I am excited for him to break into the college coaching world.”

Pitter has high hopes for Miami swimming and diving this year. The changing coaching staff won’t damper either program’s continued success from previous seasons.

“I want us to get to the highest level we can,” Pitter said. “On the women’s side, we fell just short last year. Our goal is to win this year. On the men’s side, we are going for five in a row. I want to create a dynasty.”

The RedHawks’ season is just around the corner. Their first meet will take place against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Oct. 11, followed by a meet against the Northwestern University Wildcats on Oct.12.

@andrewrelvaspxp

ajrelvas14@gmail.com