Ohio State Announces Promotions Within Coaching Staff
Ohio State Director of Swimming and Diving Bill Dorenkott has announced updates to the Buckeye staff for the 2025-26 season.
Brian Schrader and Norm Wright have both been promoted into associate head coach positions. Schrader will have a focus in player development and Wright will work as the associate head coach of the men’s swimming program.
Schrader joined the Ohio State coaching staff in August 2022 as an assistant coach, before being elevated to high performance coordinator prior to the 2023-24 season. Schrader has been part of 22 team championships in his time as a Division I coach, including three women’s Big Ten Championships so far in his time at Ohio State. Since his arrival in Columbus, Schrader has coached Big Ten champions in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 medley relay and coached athletes to team records in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free relay.
“We are blessed to have Brian as Buckeye,” Dorenkott said. “Brian and I have been friends for over 30 years, including serving on the US Swimming National Team staff together. We will maximize Brian’s skillset by growing his role within our program. Our goal is to create a position to lead our efforts in meeting out student-athletes’ academic, athletic and social needs in a holistic manner. Specifically, Brian will be charged with heading up student-athlete development, strategy and culture.”
Wright was named an assistant coach at Ohio State in 2023. In his role with the Buckeyes, he is tasked with leading development for aerobic-driven swimmers within the men’s and women’s rosters, specifically focused on impacting 400 IM and distance freestyle performances at Big Tens and NCAAs, bringing his experience in club and national level coaching to elevate Ohio State’s competitive edge on the international stage and contributing to recruiting, training planning, athlete mentorship, and integration of performance programming.
“I have been a fan of Norm’s since he was back in Virginia with the Shenandoah Marlins,” Dorenkott said. “We have spent a lot of time on each other’s pool decks before he started with us in 2023. Norm made an instant impact on our program through his infectious passion for the sport and commitment to providing our athletes a world-class experience. The nod to associate head coach for the men is fitting as Norm’s leadership will have a direct and immediate impact on our program’s current and future success. Norm will manage our roster, lead our men’s recruiting efforts and provide a clarity of purpose and direction for our men’s swimming program.”
Mike Hulme served as the previous associate head coach of the men’s swimming program. He stepped away from coaching last month after nine years at Ohio State. He joined the staff as an assistant in 2016 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2022. During his time with the Buckeyes, the women’s program won four Big Ten titles, and the men finished runner-up four times. He coached over 30 athletes to All-America honors. Hulme was a four-year letterwinner at Ohio State from 2008-11.
“Mike Hulme has been a Buckeye since birth as his father, Jack, was a swimming star for the Buckeyes in the late 1960’s,” said Dorenkott. “Mike followed in his dad’s footsteps as a student-athlete and then spent nine years as a member of our coaching staff. We are grateful to Mike and the Hulme family for all that they have done to serve the university. Mike has always paid it forward through his kind, empathetic and sincere approach to serving our student-athletes. We wish Mike, Ariel and their children all the best in the next chapter of their lives.”
The Buckeyes have also announced Michael Butler as an assistant coach and Patrick Hemingway as a graduate intern, both working with men’s and women’s swimming.
Butler joined the Ohio State staff in June 2025 as a graduate assistant before being elevated into an assistant coaching role. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at Case Western during the 2024-25 season, where he ran practices assisted with technique development, logistics and recruiting. He swam at Case Western from 2021-24 and was the former record holder in the 1650 free. He earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and cognitive science from Case Western in 2025.
“Michael is a graduate of Case Western, a native of Ohio and an incredibly bright young man with a passion for the sport,” said Dorenkott. “Additionally, Michael started his graduate work at Ohio State in the Master of Sport Coaching program. Ohio State has a history of finding and developing talented young coaches.”
Hemingway joined the Ohio State staff over the summer. He swam at Villanova from 2022-25 and is the Wildcats’ record holder in the 50 free. He earned nearly 20 medals at the Big East Championships over his career. Hemingway has coached at various swimming camps, including for Villanova, the Naval Academy, the University of Florida and Cornell University and has experience coaching for various swim clubs. Hemingway graduated from Villanova in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in communication, with minors in Russian language and peace and justice.
“Patrick is working with our program in his first year as a graduate intern,” Dorenkott said. “Patrick is a graduate of Villanova, where he was a standout swimmer. He is enrolled in the Ohio State Master of Sport Coaching program. Patrick started with us this summer and quickly endeared himself to our team and staff. He has a steady presence and a genuine curiosity and desire to be an elite coach.”
The Buckeyes open the 2025-26 season Nov. 7-8 at the Raleigh Rumble where they will swim against NC State and Virginia Tech.
The above press release was provided to Swimming World by Ohio State University.
