Michael Shelby Hired To Be Falcons’ New Assistant Swimming Coach

Bowling Green State University swimming head coach Petra Martin has announced that she will add Michael Shelby to her staff as an assistant coach for the 2011-12 season. Shelby previously served as an assistant at Ashland University.

Shelby served as assistant coach to Paul Graham at Ashland for three seasons and was involved in every aspect of the team. The teams Shelby helped coach found enormous success in the pool.

In 2010-11, Ashland finished fifth (women) and 11th (men) at the NCAA Division II National Championships. The women's team won the national championship in the 200 freestyle relay for the second consecutive year. Those are Ashland's first-ever relay championships and the first national titles in swimming in any event for Ashland since 1998.

The two teams combined for eight medals, including a silver and six bronze.

The women's team finished seventh at the national meet in 2009-10, while the men's team placed tenth overall. Each team finished third at the GLIAC championships.

Also in that season, Ashland senior Sean McGraw was named an ESPN the Magazine first-team Academic All-American. In Shelby's first year at Ashland, 2008-09, eight of Ashland's male swimmers earned All-America honors for their work in the pool.

Prior to coaching at Ashland, Shelby coached for two years as a graduate assistant at Ohio University. While with the Bobcats, he was active in recruiting. He also designed and implemented workout regimens for the sprint group.

Shelby videotaped for the team, and he helped coach stroke technique, as well as proper starts and turns.

Shelby also attended Ohio University as an undergraduate and graduated in 2005. While an undergrad, he swam for the Bobcats.

During his time at OU as an athlete and coach, the Bobcats won six individual Mid-American Conference gold medals and captured the 2008 team conference championship. His teams included two Olympic trials qualifiers and ten first-team All-MAC swimmers.

As a swimmer, Shelby qualified for and competed at the World Championship trials in April 2005. He holds OU records in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays and won MAC gold medals in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle relay.

Shelby also owned the 18-24 year-old Masters national record in the 50 butterfly and was named team Most Valuable Player in 2005.

He earned his master's degree in coaching education from Ohio University in 2008.

Coach Martin said, “I am very excited to welcome Mike Shelby to Bowling Green swimming. He is bringing a tremendous passion for the sport, as well as high knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the sport. He has had some great results with his previous athletes, has been an integral part of building a successful program, is a great recruiter, and understands what it takes to be the best.”

Martin continued, “He will fit right in with our philosophy of quality and innovative training. Mike is someone that will always look for a new, better way of doing things. He is very motivated and hard-working, and I know that our program will benefit greatly from having him with us.”

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