Ian Quinn - Women's Swimming & Diving Coach

Ian Quinn

Title:
Assistant Coach, Swimming
Email:
iquinn@unca.edu
Phone:
232-5656

2023-24 was yet another exciting year for the Bulldogs. Asheville extended it's dual meet home winning streak to 13 with a 3-0 mark inside the Justice Center, while posting an 8-4 mark on the season including going 2-0 in the program's first year in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Altogether between swimmers and divers, 13 school records and nine freshman records fell on the season while the Bulldogs finished fourth in their first performance at the ASUN Championships. Asheville also logged two NCAA B cuts, three ASUN Swimmers of the Week, three ASUN Divers of the Week, two Academic All-ASUN selections and three College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honorees.

Ian Quinn was promoted to Associate Head Coach in December 2023.

Quinn begins his sixth season on staff for the UNC Asheville swimming and diving program in 2024-25. UNC Asheville Head Swimming and Diving Coach Elizabeth Lykins announced the addition of Quinn to her coaching staff on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019.

The 2022-23 season was the best in program history. The team went undefeated in dual meets for the second straight season (9-0), broke 14 School Records, and achieved four NCAA B Cuts. Asheville had its first-ever NCAA qualifier in senior Delaney Carlton, who won the 50 Free at the CCSA Conference championship with a 22.07, which had her finish 34th in the nation to qualify for NCAAs in the event. Coach Quinn was named the Team Leader for the US Swim Team at the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, China in Summer 2023. At the Games, US swimmers claimed 10 medals, including Keaton Jones gold medal in the 200 Backstroke, which was the only gold medal for the USA at the World University Games across 16 sports. Carlton, who was also selected to be a member of Team USA for the World University Games, competed in the 50 Free where she finished 17th.

The 2021-22 season for Asheville was a memorable one. The season began with the Bulldogs sending four swimmers to the CSCAA Open Water National Championships in September. The quartet of Hannah Bruno, Nora Segurola Larrinaga, Gaby Shenot, and Caitlin Hefner combined to place seventh as a team, while Hefner placed sixth individually. Asheville had plenty of honors to go around. Delaney Carlton was the CCSA Swimmer of the Week twice (October 5, January 25) and was the Bulldog of the Month in January as well. Mikaela Fullerton was the CCSA Swimmer of the Week on November 23 and Jade Canady became the first Bulldog to earn CCSA Diver of the Week honors on October 5. As a team, Asheville cruised through the regular season posting a perfect 8-0 record in dual meets and extending its unbeaten streak to 12-0 since October 2020. The Bulldogs continued to rewrite their record books with 10 individual freshman, one freshman relay, 14 individual school, and four relay school records all fell during the 2021-22 season. At the 2022 CCSA Championships, the Bulldogs had 11 podium finishes on their way to posting the best finish ever in school history (3rd). One of those podium finishes was Caitlin Hefner becoming the program's first-ever gold medalist as she won the 1650 Free. Furthermore, three Bulldogs earned NCAA Provisional Cuts throughout the year: Delaney Carlton (50 Free - 22.72), Abby Parks (50 Free - 22.74), and Mikaela Fullerton (100 Breast - 1:00.55). Carlton was also named the CCSA's Scholar-Athlete of the Year following the season.

In the 2020-21 season where the Bulldogs had to navigate the CoVID-19 pandemic, Quinn helped coach Asheville to a 4-1-1 record in dual meets marking the first time that the program had logged back-to-back winning seasons. Delaney Carlton was named the CCSA Swimmer of the Week on October 22 before being named the Bulldog of the Month on January 2021. Throughout the course of the season, the Bulldogs broke six individual freshman records, one freshman relay record, five individual school records, and four school relay records. At the 2021 CCSA Championships, the Bulldogs tallied seven podium finishes on their way to matching their best finish in school history (4th). Asheville received 48 points from diving in just the third year of the program.

In Quinn's first season with the Bulldogs, he helped the team finish fourth at the CCSA Championships, which was a new program-best. Asheville defeated North Florida on Senior Day to close out the regular season with wins in each of their last four dual meets marking the longest winning streak in the program's young history at that point. Overall, UNC Asheville set six program records, including four during the CCSA Championships to go along with eight new freshman records. Following the season, senior Adee Weller received the prestigious George A. Christenberry Award. Weller is the first UNC Asheville swimmer to earn this honor and the first Bulldog to receive this accolade since the 2005-2006 academic year.

Quinn came to Asheville after spending two years as a Swim Coach at the YMCA of Montclair in Montclair, N.J.

While at the YMCA of Montclair, Quinn was the Lead Coach for two developmental groups and one senior group. He was also an Assistant Coach for the National Group. Quinn spearheaded the initiative to develop a strength and conditioning program based on guidelines from the National Strength and Conditioning Association for the benefit of Senior and National Group swimmers. He also had five swimmers qualify for the 2019 YMCA Short Course Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. and eight swimmers qualify for the 2019 YMCA Long Course Nationals in College Park, Md.

For the last nine summers, Quinn has worked as an Assistant Manager and Head Swim Coach for the Glen Ridge Country Club in Glen Ridge, N.J. While there, he coached a team of 100 kids, taught private swimming lessons, and organized and directed swim meets.

This summer, Quinn worked as a Swim Camp Coach at the University of Georgia and at Stanford University. The opportunity to work at these camps allowed Quinn to work alongside and learn from National Championship staffs and Olympic level coaches and swimmers.

Quinn is a certified USA Swim Coach and is certified by the American Red Cross in Lifeguarding/CPR.

Quinn received a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies in 2017 from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

While at Vassar College, Quinn was a member of the Division III Varsity Swim Team and competed in the sprint freestyle and butterfly events. He also played Division II Varsity Rugby for two seasons.