Ed Denny enters his eighth season as head coach of the California University of Pa. women's swim team.
In the brief history of the program, the Vulcans have posted two undefeated dual meet seasons (10-0 in 2003 and 8-0 in 2006) and a pair of one-loss dual meet seasons to compile a 45-5 overall record (90.0%). The Vulcans have finished among the top seven teams in the PSAC championships three times in six years.
Denny's swimmers have won four individual gold medals and a Rookie of the Year award at the PSAC Championships, a gold and a silver at the NCAA Division II championships and have earned six All-America awards at the national championships. The Vulcans have also been honored as an All-Academic Team by the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for six consecutive years.
Originally from Derry, Pa., Denny began his swimming career at Kiski Prep School under coach John Pidgeon. He continued his academic and athletic careers at West Virginia University swimming for long-time head coach Kevin Gilson, where he earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education in 1982. Denny earned his master's degree in education from Long Island University in 1991.
During his collegiate career, Denny was coached by Greg Olson during the summers in Charleston, W.Va., and placed third in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1978 National Junior Olympics in Santa Clara, Calif. In 1980, Denny trained under legendary coach Dick Shoulberg at the Germantown Academy Aquatic Club in Fort Washington, Pa., and placed 13th in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Irvine, Calif. Denny served as WVU's co-captain in 1981 and was a two-time NCAA Division I national qualifier in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
He still holds WVU natatorium records in the 1,000-yard (9:22.01) and 1,650-yard (15:34.07) freestyle races. He also held the Penn State University natatorium record in the 1,650-yard freestyle (15:23.40) for 19 years and still holds the Atlantic 10 Conference record in the 1,650-yard freestyle at 15:34.07, which he set in 1980.
Denny's coaching career began in 1983 when he was a graduate assistant under Kevin Gilson at West Virginia. In 1984, he joined the staff at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he coached for four seasons before returning to Kiski as head coach in 1988. A year later, he returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy, where he stayed for three seasons before being named the fourth head coach in the history of the Fairmont State (W.Va.) men's and women's programs.
Denny guided the FSC swim programs from the NAIA level up to NCAA Division II in 1995. Under Denny's leadership, Fairmont State had 19 swimmers earn NAIA All-America honors in 59 events from 1993 to 1995, including the men's 200-yard butterfly national champion in 1995. After the transition to NCAA Division II, Denny guided nine of his swimmers to individual All-America recognition in 29 events from 1995 to 2001 and an 11th place finish in the team standings by the 1999 women's team. The Fairmont State teams were recognized for their exemplary individual and team academic achievements by the CSCAA five-straight years.
Denny, the father of 18-year-old Jack Denny, lives in Monessen, Pa.
