Swimming and Diving

Jimmy Tierney, the coach of Northwestern’s women’s swimming and diving team, will not return next season, athletic director Jim Phillips announced Tuesday.

Tierney has been with the program for 27 years, having spent the first six as an assistant before being promoted to the head coaching job in 1994.

“I am so thankful for my time as a member of the Wildcats’ Family,” Tierney said in a news release. “I have been blessed to have worked with many wonderful people who have a true passion and spirit for excellence.”

The athletic department did not give a reason for Tierney’s departure. The coach had a 126-94-1 career record in dual meets and his swimmers amassed 146 combined All-America honors during his tenure, but the program struggled in 2014-2015 under his leadership. NU limped to a 2-4 record in conference dual meets and finished 10th out of 13 teams at the Big Ten Championships.

A national search will be conducted for the Cats’ next coach, the department said.

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Twitter: @BobbyPillote