Ryan Wochomurka - Swimming & Diving Coach - University of Houston Athletics

Ryan Wochomurka

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
rwochomu@central.uh.edu

RYAN WOCHOMURKA
Hometown	Columbus, Ind.
College	Auburn '06
Family	wife, Leigh; son, Hayes; daughter, Hallie
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
College	Auburn (2002-05), 21-time All-American
International	U.S. National Team (2002-04)
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Year	Team, Position
2015-	Houston, Head Coach
2014-15	Louisville, Associate Head Coach
2012-14	Louisville, Associate Head Coach
2007-12	Louisville, Associate Head Coach/Men's Recruiting Coordinator
CHAMPIONSHIPS WON AS STUDENT-ATHLETE
Year	Championship
2002	Southeastern Conference Team Championship
2003	Southeastern Conference Team Championship
2003	NCAA Division I Team National Championship
2004	Southeastern Conference Team Championship
2004	NCAA Division I Team National Championship
2004	NCAA Division I 200-yard Freestyle Relay National Championship
2004	NCAA Division I 400-yard Freestyle Relay National Championship
2005	Southeastern Conference Team Championship
2005	NCAA Division I Team National Championship
CHAMPIONSHIPS WON AS COACH
Year	Championship
2021	American Athletic Conference Women's Team Championship
2020	American Athletic Conference Women's Team Championship
2019	American Athletic Conference Women's Team Championship
2018	American Athletic Conference Women's Team Championship
2017	American Athletic Conference Women's Team Championship
2014	American Athletic Conference Men's Team Championship
2014	American Athletic Conference Women's Team Championship
2013	BIG EAST Conference Women's Team Championship
2012	BIG EAST Conference Women's Team Championship
2011	BIG EAST Conference Women's Team Championship
2011	BIG EAST Conference Men's Team Championship
2010	BIG EAST Conference Men's Team Championship

Ryan Wochomurka (WAH-kuh-MUR-kah) was announced as the school's seventh Head Swimming & Diving Coach on April 23, 2015. A native of Columbus, Ind., Wochomurka comes to Houston from the University of Louisville, where he spent the past eight seasons as a member of the coaching staff, most recently serving as Associate Head Coach. "We are proud to welcome Ryan as our new Head Swimming & Diving Coach and look forward to watching him build a successful program, both in and out of the pool," said UH Associate Athletics Director for Auxiliary Services and Houston Swimming & Diving Sport Administrator Bruce Gregory. "After conducting a search that included many impressive candidates from across the country, there was no doubt that Ryan is the best candidate to build UH Swimming & Diving into one of the top programs in the nation." "My family and I are humbled and excited for the opportunity to be the Head Coach at the University of Houston," said Wochomurka. "We have all the ingredients in place for a truly elite aquatics program: a great school, beautiful facilities, a driven athletic department, motivated student-athletes, and an amazing city. We can't wait to get started."

AT HOUSTON
In an unprecedented season Wochomurka and his staff found a way to have one of the most successful seasons in Houston Swimming & Diving history. Houston again would sit atop The American at the conclusion of the season capturing the programs fifth consecutive league title and scoring the most points by a women's team in championship history. Under the tutelage of Wochomurka and his staff, Mykenzie Leehy and Ioanna Sacha were named Co-American Athletic Conference Swimmers of the year, Laura Garcia-Marin earned Freshman of the year honors and Wochomurka earned his fifth consecutive American Athletic Conference Women's Coach of the Year award. The success did not stop there for the Cougars as Houston sent three Cougars to the NCAA Championships, including a diver for the first time since 2015. The Cougars solidified themselves as a powerhouse at the NCAA Championships, scoring its most points at the meet since 2011 and earning the highest finish of any non-major conference team in attendance.

The 2019-20 season would again culminate with the crowning of Houston as The American Women's Swimming and Diving Champions. Houston left no doubt that it is the team to beat in The American capturing 17 individual championships in its home pool, accumulating the second-most points by a women's team in Championships history. UH swept the relays for the second straight year and added a sweep of the diving events to its resume. Again, the Cougars would qualify student-athletes to the NCAA Championships this time adding a relay into the mix before the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his fourth season at the helm of the University of Houston Swimming & Diving program, Wochomurka continued to raise the Cougars to new heights. Houston excelled athletically and academically, winning its third consecutive American Athletic Conference and posting eight program records. Under the tutelage of Wochomurka and his staff the Cougars earned 25 All-Conference laurels, and added a third women's swimming Head Coach of the Year to his resume.

For the second time in as many seasons, Wochomurka would again send a swimmer to the NCAA Championships. Peyton Kondis would represent the Cougars on the national stage, breaking the program record in the 200 Breaststroke and earning a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District team and Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar First-Team. The Cougars would continue to shine under Wochomurka and staff, sending a pair of student-athletes to the 2020 Olympic Trials.

Academically the Cougars racked a up a team cumulative GPA of 3.50 for the 2018-19 academic year and had 10 student-athletes named the the CSCAA Scholar All-America team, earning team Scholar All-American team honors for the eight consecutive semester.

Wochomurka became the second Swimming & Diving Head Coach in the program's history to win multiple conference Women's Swimming Coach of the Year honors after leading the Cougars to their second consecutive American Athletic Conference Championship during the 2017-18 season.

Houston picked up right where it left off in 2017, breaking 13 program records and posting 24 NCAA B-Cut times over the course of the season. The Cougars collected four individual conference championships to go along with 23 podium finishes and 13 All-Conference selections in 16 events en route to its second straight conference championship. The season did not end there for Houston as three swimmers qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships under the direction of Wochomurka and his staff.

Outside the pool, the Cougars racked up one of the highest GPA's in the athletic department during the fall semester, as well as five CSCAA Scholar-All America selections, including a conference-best two First-Team honorees.

In the 2016-17 season, Wochomurka and staff lead the Cougars to the program's first swimming title. With a conference championship and three All-American Athletic Conference champions in Micaela Bouter, Peyton Kondis and Laura Laderoute, Wochomurka was recognized as the league's Coach of the Year.

The Cougars concluded the historic 2017 American Athletic Conference Championships with three individual championship to win the program’s first ever conference title. The 10 Cougars received honors in 14 events improving from seven Houston athletes in nine events in 2016 and five Cougars in four events in 2015. Swimmers Zarena Brown, Cait Horner, Eleanna Koutsouveli, Peyton Kondis, Laura Laderoute, Sharo Rodriguez, Victoria Roubique and Ksenia Yuskova were joined by divers Katelyn Abernathy and Micaela Bouter on the postseason list.

During the 2015-16 season, Wochomurka -- led the Cougars to a third place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championships including six individual crowns - three swimming titles by Eleanna Koutsouveli (2) and Hannah Herbst, the program's first confernce swimming champions since 2006.

Under Wochomurka's leadership the program had six school records fall. Then Freshman Herbst in the 1,000- (9:57.39) and 1,650 freestyle (16:32.45) events. Fellow Freshman Koutsouveli in the 100 and 200 backstroke events. Also the 200 Medley Relay team of Koutsouveli, Ashley Grijalva, Sharo Rodriguez and Cait Horner set program record (1:40.50).

At Louisville, Wochomurka was promoted to Associate Head Coach for Swimming & Diving and Men's Recruiting Coordinator prior to the 2014-15 season. During his eight seasons on staff with the Cardinals, Wochomurka helped the program win two men's championships and three women's team championships in the BIG EAST Conference, as well as the 2014 American titles on both the men's and women's sides. This past season, Wochomurka led the Louisville men's team to a second-place finish in their first season as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cardinals won five events at the conference meet, along with 15 medals. Under Wochomurka's leadership, the Cardinals also experienced tremendous success on a national level. The women's program finished sixth at the 2015 NCAA Championships, a school record, and Kelsi Worrell won national championships in both the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events. The sixth-place finish was the culmination of four years of improvement for the Cardinals, as they placed 24th in 2012, 22nd in 2013 and 15th in 2014. The Louisville men's team also grew into a national power under Wochomurka's watch, placing in the top-25 at the NCAA Championships in each of the past six seasons. The Cardinals finished ninth in 2012 and also notched top-15 finishes in 2014 and 2015. With Wochomurka in his corner, Louisville's Carlos Almeida was the NCAA championship in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2012, while Joao De Lucca won NCAA titles in the 200-yard freestyle in 2013 and both the 100- and 200-yard freestyle in 2014. An accomplished swimmer in his own right, Wochomurka was a 21-time All-American during his collegiate career at Auburn University and was part of three NCAA National Championship teams. Individually, Wochomurka won NCAA titles in both the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays and captured eight Southeastern Conference championships. In addition to his success at Auburn, Wochomurka represented the United States at the 2003 FINA World Championships, where he was a silver medalist in the 4x100 free relay. He was also a 2004 Olympic Trials finalist and a two-time FINA World Cup Silver Medalist. Wochomurka and his wife, Leigh, have a son, Hayes , and a daughter, Hallie.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT RYAN WOCHOMURKA
"Ryan was a tenacious competitor on several of our championship teams and on the international swimming stage. He has been able to transition his passion for the sport and the knowledge of the skills it takes to be successful into his coaching career. I have no doubt he will be able to bring the principles of success that he's learned at Auburn and Louisville to the University of Houston." -- David Marsh, CEO/Director of Coaching at SwimMAC Carolina (Head Coach at Auburn University - 1991-2007)

"I am excited for Ryan and his family as they embark on this new chapter in their lives. They have been a part of our Cardinal Family for many years, and although we are sad to see them go, I see this as a great opportunity for them. The University of Houston is not only adding a good coach, but more importantly, a good man." -- Arthur Albiero, Head Coach at the University of Louisville

"I have known Ryan for fifteen years. To see him progress from an elite level athlete to an elite coach is truly amazing. Not only is the University of Houston hiring an innovator and a motivator as a coach, but they are hiring a great family man and a great friend. I am looking forward to following the impact Ryan will have with the student-athletes at UH." -- David Durden, Head Coach at the University of California, Berkeley