Entering Seventh Year as TCNJ Head Coach in 2024-25
Alma Mater: SUNY Cortland '09
Education: B.S. sport management, M.S recreation management in leisure services.
- 4-time NJAC Champions (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- 5-time NJAC Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- 2-time Metropolitan Conference Champions (2022, 2023)
- 2-time Metropolitan Conference Coach of the Year (2022, 2023)
- Coached 20 All-American Swimmers (as of 2024-25)
David Dow is entering his seventh season as head coach of the men's swimming and diving program.
Dow elevated the Lions program on a national level in the 2022-23 season, guiding the Blue and Gold to the highest team finish in the NCAA Championships since 2016, by placing 12th overall. Named both the NJAC and METs Coach of the Year, Dow also led the program to the second NJAC championship in three years, while repeating as MET champions. James McChesney became the program's first individual NCAA champion since Steve Swenson in 2006 after obliterating the Division III record in the 200 Freestyle, while also garnering All-America honors in the 50, 100 free, 200 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay. McChesney headlined a group of 10 Lions to earn All-America honors, which includes Lucas Blach, Brian Bull, Gavin Formon, Ryan Higgins, Dixon Kahler, Andrew Kidchob, Richard Park, Ryan VanDeVeen and Matt Watts.
Dow continued the Lions' ascent in 2023-24, steering the squad to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships and a runaway team title at the inaugural NJAC Championships. All 10 NCAA qualifiers swam to All-America recognition, and McChesney repeated as national champion in the 200 fee.
The 2021-22 campaign was a banner one for the Lions, who won the MET championship for the first time since 2015. James McChesney was named rookie and co-swimmer of the meet, and Dow earned coach of the year honors. TCNJ sent six swimmers to the NCAA Championships, collecting 56 points to place 19th in the team standings. McChesney swam to first-team All-America honors in the 50, 100, and 200 free, while the 400 and 800 free relays received All-America honorable mention.
Dow led the Lions to an NJAC Championship in the 2021 season, the first for the men’s swimming & diving program since 2015-16. For his efforts, Dow earned NJAC Coach of the Year honors for the second time during his tenure at TCNJ. Under his guidance, the Lions swept the major conference awards as Andrew Thompson was named NJAC Swimmer of the Year, Jay Soukup earned Diver of the Year honors, and McChesney took home Rookie of the Year honors. Dow's swimmers claimed 19 out of the 20 total First Team All-NJAC honors.
Dow put the Lions back in the national spotlight in his second season as head coach in 2019-20. The Lions had six athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships and the group earned three All-America honors as Andrew Thompson earned individual honors in the 200 IM and the Lions earned All-America honors in the 800 free and 200 medley relays. At the MET Championships, TCNJ improved by 65.5 points on its way to a second-straight second-place finish. At the end of the season, Sean Rave was honored as NJAC Rookie of the Year.
Dow arrived in Ewing after spending the previous three years as an assistant coach at Williams College, where he was part of a program that achieved remarkable success. The women’s team finished in the top three in the NCAA Division III Championships each of his last three years, while the men’s side landed in the top 10 each season. Dow was part of a coaching staff that produced 65 NCAA All-Americans, as well as 15 individual NCAA titles and two new NCAA records. Both teams combined to win five out of the six NESCAC Championships during Dow’s tenure.
The Williams swimming programs are also known for their academic excellence, as they earned the CSCAA All-American Team Scholar award each year as well as 27 NCAA Scholar All-American honors. In 2017, Dow earned the CSCAA Jean Freeman Scholarship, an honor given annually to six college assistants based on contributions to the team.
Before joining Williams, Dow served Bethany College as the head men’s & women’s swimming and diving coach from 2011-2015. He improved both programs as he led the women’s team to its first winning season in program history in 2013 and topped that with a school record in wins in 2014. On the men’s side, Dow led Bethany to its first winning season in over 25 years in 2014 and to a school record in wins in 2015. His student-athletes set 63 school records in 27 events.
Dow served at his alma mater SUNY Cortland as an assistant coach from 2009-2011. He worked with the individual medley and stroke groups that included a two-time NCAA All-American, two NCAA provisional qualifiers, 10 All-Conference team members, and nine individual school records.
Dow enjoyed a strong career in the pool himself as he was a two time SUNYAC individual champion in the 1650 freestyle. Dow also received the George Breen Award in 2009 and was named All-SUNYAC First Team twice as well as two All-SUNYAC Second Team honors.
Dow graduated from SUNY Cortland with a B.S. in sport management in August 2009 and received an M.S. in recreation management in leisure services in December 2011.
| Year |
Overall |
NJAC |
METs/NJACs |
NCAAs |
| 2018-19 |
4-2 |
3-1 |
2nd Place |
|
| 2019-20 |
9-1 |
3-1 |
2nd Place |
|
| 2020-21 |
2-0 |
2-0 |
(No METs Held) |
|
| 2021-22 |
5-2 |
3-1 |
1st Place |
19th |
| 2022-23 |
9-2 |
4-0 |
1st Place |
12th |
| 2023-24 |
7-2 |
N/A |
1st Place |
10th |
| 2024-25 |
6-2 |
N/A |
1st Place |
T-17th |
| Total |
42-11 |
15-3 |
|
|
