Ed Denny enters his 10th season as head coach of the California University of Pennsylvania women’s swimming team following another top-three finish at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships and a top-15 showing at the 2011 NCAA Championships.
Last season, the Vulcans were third at the PSAC Championships for the second time in the last three years and had eight swimmers qualify for the NCAA Championships in San Antonio, Texas. Cal U placed 14th in the team standings at the NCAA Championships for the second time in the last three years.
Since arriving at Cal U, Denny has coached nine individuals to All-America status, highlighted by the program's first-ever National Champion in Melissa Gates (50 freestyle) at the 2011 NCAA Championships. Over the past four years, the Vulcans have had five individual PSAC Champions, 11 NCAA All-Americans and 17 NCAA All-America Honorable Mention.
In addition to their success in the pool, Denny’s teams have also excelled in the classroom. The Vulcans have been honored as a Scholar All-American team for eight-consecutive years by the College Swimming Coaches Association of American (CSCAA). Cal U featured four PSAC Scholar-Athletes last year.
Originally from Derry, Pa., Denny began his swimming career at Kiski Prep School before enrolling at West Virginia University. He completed his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from WVU in 1982 before earning his master’s degree in education from Long Island University in 1991.
With the Mountaineers, Denny was a NCAA Qualifier in the 1650 freestyle in both 1980 and 1981. A co-captain in 1981, he still holds WVU natatorium records in the 1,000 (9:22.01 - 1979) and 1,650 (15:34.07 - 1980) 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.
During his time at WVU, Denny placed third in the 1,500 freestyle at the 1978 National Junior Olympics in Santa Clara, Calif. In 1980, Denny placed 13th in the 1,500 freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Irvine, Calif.
He started his coaching career in 1983 as graduate assistant with the Mountaineers under head coach Kevin Gilson. A year later, Denny joined the coaching staff at the U.S. Naval Academy. After four seasons at Navy, he returned 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. Following his time at the Military Academy, accepted the head-coaching position of the men’s and women’s swimming programs at Fairmont State University (W.Va.).
Denny guided the Fighting Falcon swim programs from their transition of NAIA to NCAA Division II in 1995. Under Denny’s leadership, Fairmont State had 19 swimmers earn NAIA All-America honors in 59 events from 1993-95, including the men’s 200 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 1995-2001 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 resides in California with his wife Carolann.
