Richard Salhus - Assistant Swimming Coach - Men's Swimming and Diving Coaches

Richard Salhus

Title:
Assistant Swimming Coach
Email:
richard.salhus@westpoint.edu
Phone:
3928

Richard Salhus joined the Army West Point swimming and diving coaching staff as an assistant coach in October 2019 and is entering his third season with the program.

"Rich brings Power 5 coaching experience and knowledge to West Point from both the swimming and coaching perspective," Army West Point head swim and dive coach Brandt Nigro said. "At the college and club level, he has established great relationships with his athletes and has been able develop them to a higher level. His experience on the USA Junior National Team coaching staff will be invaluable to our program and our athletes. I had the opportunity to get to know Rich over the last few years from our time on the road recruiting. He is an exceptional recruiter and will get to know potential cadet-athletes athletes on a personal level to find the best fits for our program."

Salhus joined the Black Knights following a three-year stint at the University of Iowa, where he served as an assistant coach as well as the men's and international recruiting coordinator.

Salhus, a former Hawkeye swimmer and Iowa graduate, returned to his alma mater prior to the 2016-17 season after spending five years as assistant head coach of the Iowa Flyers Swim Club before a brief stretch as the club's head coach.

During the 2018-19 season, the Hawkeyes had five student-athletes -- two men and three women -- qualify for the NCAA Championships. The team swam to five school records and posted 64 top-10 times in program history.

Iowa's men's team posted a 6-2 dual meet record, while the women's team swam to six victories. The Hawkeyes finished the season with five Big Ten weekly honors and the program had 11 top-eight finishes at the Big Ten Championships.

In the classroom, 24 Hawkeyes earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, 11 were named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars, and seven were honorable mention CSCAA Scholar Athletes. Senior Ben Colin also became the first Hawkeye to be the Jim McKay Scholarship recipient.

During the 2017-18 season, Iowa had seven NCAA qualifiers -- four men and three women -- and set 11 school records. The Hawkeyes' 200-free relay -- Will Scott, Jack Smith, Matt Kamin, and Joe Myhre -- earned honorable-mention All-America honors at the NCAA Championships, leading Iowa to a 38th-place team finish.

The Hawkeye men went 5-1 in dual competition, including posting back-to-back victories over No. 21 Minnesota and at No. 23 Purdue. The Iowa women went 6-3 and the program swam to 69 NCAA qualifying marks with 10 Hawkeyes being honored with Big Ten weekly recognition throughout the course of the season.

Academically, the Hawkeyes had 24 Academic All-Big Ten selections, nine Big Ten Distinguished Scholars and 12 student-athletes were named CSCAA honorable mention Scholar All-Americans.

During his first season in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes broke 15 school records and tallied a top-26 finish at the NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. Fueled by first-team All-America performances from breast stroker Emma Sougstad and platform diver Calli Head, Iowa accumulated 26 team points to post its highest finish since 2005.

The Hawkeyes went a combined 13-5 in dual competition -- 7-2 for the women, 6-3 for the men -- with a roster comprised of underclassmen. Iowa had 56 automatic or provisional NCAA qualifying standards during the season.

Iowa student-athletes shined academically as seven Hawkeyes earned CSCAA Scholar All-America distinction, 23 were Academic All-Big Ten selections, and five were Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.

Before returning to his alma mater, Salhus helped the Iowa Flyers achieve a number of accolades during his tenure. He coached a fourth-place place finisher in the 200 butterfly at the 2016 USA Olympic Swimming Trials, and an athlete named to 2016 USA Junior Pan Pacific Championship Team.

Salhus also coached at the 2014 National Select Camp and was a 2015 Central Zone Select Camp assistant coach. He coached multiple winter and summer Junior National medalists.

Coaching alongside Robert Pinter, Salhus was also instrumental in developing three swimmers that were selected to the National Select Camp and one athlete was chosen to the USA Swimming National Junior Team.

The Johannesburg, South Africa, native was a four-year Iowa letterwinner, competing from 2007-11. He earned Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors in 2008.

As a prep, Salhus was a South African Junior National qualifier, winning numerous medals, including the gold in the 50 free and 50 fly. He was also a member of the South African Junior Squad and qualified for multiple South African Senior Nationals and Olympic Trials. He was a finalist in the 200 free and 50 fly and a gold medalist in the 400-free and 800-free relays.

Salhus competed for Jon Rudd under Plymouth Leander in the United Kingdom where he held various records in Devon County. He went on to win silver in the 17/18-year-old 50 free and bronze in the 800-free relay at the British Youth Championships and he also competed in the Great Britain Open Championships, where he was a finalist in the men's 50 fly and semifinalist in men's 50 free.

Salhus, who is ASCA Level 4 certified, graduated from the University of Iowa in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in health science with a minor health and sports studies. He and his wife, Mary, have two sons, Liam and Oliver.