Peter Linn
Head M & W Swimming Coach
Phone: 734.487.0463
Email:
peter.linn@emich.edu
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The 2009-10 season marks head coach Peter Linn’s 22nd season as the head coach of the Eastern Michigan University men’s swimming team. Linn also took over as head coach of the women’s program in 2004.
In his 21 seasons as men’s head coach, Linn has guided the Eagles to 18 Mid-American Conference Championships, including eight in a row from 1988-1996. EMU finished as conference runner-ups during the other three seasons of Linn’s guidance. The Eagles are currently riding a 53-MAC dual meet unbeaten streak, last having dropped a MAC dual meet during the 1997-98 season.
This past season, Linn once again coached the Eagles to the MAC Championship, accumulating 773 points en route to the program's fourth straight title and 29th overall MAC title. Justin Griggs was named MAC Swimmer of the Year, with eight Eagles earning All-Conference accolades. In addition to conference honors, the Eagles claimed the top ranking in collegeswimming.com’s Mid-Major Poll, earning the distinction of being the only MAC school ranked. Linn’s team was also strong in the classroom, landing three on the Academic All-MAC squad.
Throughout his tenure as men’s coach, Linn has a 162-45 overall record, including a 101-6 MAC mark. He has been named MAC Coach of the Year six times, while coaching seven MAC Swimmers of the Year (Jeff Pillars, Ed Wagner, Bryson Tan, Dan Wohl, Derick Roe twice and Justin Griggs) and five Senior Swimmers of the Year (Mark Leonard, Eric Seidelman, Bryson Tan, Doug Fleming and Wohl). He helped develop NCAA All-American and USA Open Water Swimmer of the Year Mark Leonard, as well as NCAA honorable mention All-American Jeff Shoemaker. Former EMU swimmer Kevin Doak and current swimmer Derick Roe were both in action this past summer at the 2008 U.S. Olympic qualifying meet.
On the women’s side, Linn took over for the 2004-05 season and has led the Eagles to a 46-19 mark in four seasons, including a 5-6 dual meet record in 2009-10 with a 3-4 mark in the MAC en route to a fourth place MAC Championship finish. In his first season at the helm, Linn was selected as MAC Coach of the Year after a third-place showing at the MAC Championships. He then led EMU to its first women’s swimming title in 2005-06, once again earning Coach of the Year honors. The 2006-07 season saw the Eagles capture the conference championship for the second consecutive season, including a 6-1 conference mark.
During the 2007-08 season, Madeleine Pilchard was selected MAC Swimmer of the Year for the third consecutive season, as well as earning MAC Senior Swimmer of the Year honors. She qualified for the NCAA Championships with her 10 points leading the Eagles to a 38th place finish at the national meet. She received Honorable Mention All-American accolades in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events.
The women placed six swimmers on both All-MAC and Academic All-MAC teams. Like the men, the women finished the season ranked by collegeswimming.com in its Mid-Major poll, earning a third place ranking. Pilchard was a first team All-American by collegeswimming.com, while Hannah Burandt, Ashley Durand and Alissa Ricard were selected Honorable Mention.
Linn returned to EMU in 1988 after leading Upper Arlington (Ohio) High School to three consecutive state championships, along with six straight district titles, while developing 32 individual district champions and eight individual state champions. He was also president of the Ohio High School Swimming Coaches Association in 1987-88. He was named Coach of the Year in the Ohio prep ranks in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
Prior to taking over at Upper Arlington, Linn coached at Shaker Heights (Ohio) High School from 1976-82 where he led the swimmers to their first league championship in 20 years. He was named Northeast Ohio Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1982. In 2002, Linn was elected to the Ohio High School Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame.
Linn attended Eastern Michigan University from 1969-74 and received a bachelor’s of science degree with a double major in mathematics and biology. He was inducted into the EMU Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2006.
He currently lives in Ann Arbor with his wife Jody. They have two sons, Scott (25) and Jamie (19).
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