Swimming & Diving Coaches
The Jeff Hegle Story
Jeff Hegle begins his ninth season on the deck as the head swimming and diving coach for the men’s and women’s programs at St. Cloud State University in 2009-10.
For his efforts in 2008-09, Coach Hegle was named the 2009 Northern Sun Women's Coach of the Year and the Men's Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to a clean sweep of the men's and women's Northern Sun Championships for the first time in school history in 2009.
Coach Hegle, along with first year diving coach Tracy Torgerson, helped coach SCSU's senior diver Nate Jimerson to his third national title in 2009. The 2009 NCAA Division II Male Diver of the Year garnered the national championship at the NCAA’s on the one-meter in 2009. Jimerson’s national championship marked just the eighth national championship in St. Cloud State swimming and diving history. Last season, Jimerson tabbed national championships on both the one and three-meter boards, along with the 2008 National Diver of the Year accolades. He leaves St. Cloud State as an eight-time All-American, four-time conference Diver of the Year, two-time National Diver of the Year and three-time National Champion.
The Huskies sent a school record 20 athletes to the NCAA Championships in 2008-09, and had one of their best showings as a result. The SCSU women finished in the top-10 for just the second time in school history, placing eighth, and were 12 spots better than last year’s 20th place finish. Their 158 total points are also the second best mark in school history, settling behind the 2000 team that finished fifth with 259 points. The Husky men had their best showing this decade, finishing in 14th with 102.5 points. The 14th place tally is tied with the 1999 team for the second best finish in school history, behind only the ninth place 1981 team. However, the 102.5 points is the highest total in team history, breaking the record of 98 set by last year's 15th place team.
In his eight seasons with SCSU he has led the Huskies to numerous NCAA Championship meets, consistently finishing among the best in the country. Last season, the Husky women earned a 20th place finish after earning 50 points at the 2008 NCAA Division II Championships. SCSU's men's team placed 15th at the Championships with 98 points.
Coach Hegle, along with former diving coach Nate Brisley, helped coach SCSU's junior diver Nate Jimerson to national titles in both the one-meter and three-meter boards in 2008. Jimerson tallied a 520.75 score on the one-meter and two nights later completed the Championship sweep with a 546.15 on the three-meter. Jimerson's three-meter score was only 10 points shy of the national meet record of 556.40 set in 1994. To add to his list of accolades, Jimerson was also named the 2008 NCAA Division II Male Diver of the Year at the conclusion of the NCAA Championship Meet.
In the final North Central Conference Championship meet in 2008, the Husky men gave their best effort, but met up with a very strong North Dakota team that was able to hold off the Huskies and claim the NCC Title. The SCSU men finished in second place for the second year in a row behind UND. The SCSU women's also posted the same finish as last season when they took fourth in the team competition.
Coach Hegle also led three Husky individuals to NCC Championships in 2007-08, and for the second year in a row, Nate Jimerson was named the NCC Diver of the Year. Academically, the Huskies posted a league best 23 student-athletes on the NCC Commissioners Academic Honor Roll.
During the 2006-07 season the women’s team finished 19th at the championship meet while the men fell just outside the top twenty at 21st. The best finish for the Husky women came in 2004 when they finished 11th at the NCAA meet. Coach Hegle also guided them to 12th place finishes in 2005 and 2006 as well as a 13th place finish in 2003 and a 16th in 2002. The men had their best finish in 2006 when they finished 19th, and also recorded 21st place finishes at both the 2004 and 2005 NCAA’s.
Three seasons ago at the North Central Conference Championship meet the SCSU men finished in second place for the second straight season, while the women finished in fourth place after finishing third in 2006. The University of North Dakota swept the meet taking home top honors for both the men and the women.
Hegle is a familiar name to SCSU athletics, as he was a graduate assistant coach to the swimming and diving program for two seasons (1993-95) and is a former Husky swimmer. Hegle captained the SCSU men’s swimming and diving team during the 1991-92 season. He received an undergraduate degree in social studies and secondary education in 1993. He earned a master’s degree in special education at SCSU.
At St. Cloud State, Hegle was an Admissions Ambassador for three years and a University Award of Excellence in Leadership nominee.
From 1997 until his appointment at SCSU, Hegle had been the girls' swim coach at Monticello High School. He joined the Monticello program in 1995 as the assistant swim coach for boys and girls. He has also coached the Monticello Swim Club.
Along with his duties as head swimming and diving coach, Hegle also works in the SCSU Compliance Office and with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Hegle, a native of Melrose, Minn., is married to former SCSU volleyball standout Christin Broich. Together they have three daughters, Caitlin, Tessa, and Molly.
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