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Staff Directory
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- 2812
John Young’s Wildcat teams have found much success in his time at the helm of the swimming & diving programs. During his tenure, which began with the 2006-07 season, the Wildcats have experienced tremendous success, highlighted by Lindsey Martin ‘11 and Drew Onken ’12 becoming the first Davidson swimmers to compete at the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships in 2010 and 2012, two Olympic Trials Qualifiers — Luke Burton '16 and Katy Williams '17 — and four team Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA) championships, including three for the men (2010, 2011 and 2013) and one for the women (2008).
The Wildcats are coming off their best season in the Atlantic 10 in 2015-16. Young led his women's squad to an impressive third-place finish with the help of 2016 A-10 Most Outstanding Performer Elise Lankiewicz. The two-time honoree went undefeated in three individual events, winning the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle events, while helping four relay squads to gold medals. Lankiewicz set four A-10 records and four school records to be named the Most Outstanding Performer for the second-straight year.
Davidson made a splash in its first A-10 Championship in 2015 as the women took home a fourth-place finish, while the men placed sixth. The 2015 A-10 Most Outstanding Performer, Lankiewicz, led the Wildcats with three individual titles in the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle and first-place finishes in the 800 freestyle relay, 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay.
Burton highlighted the 2015 Atlantic 10 Championships with a first-place finish in the 200 backstroke that set an A-10 Championship record. The Kennesaw, Ga., native also placed second in the 100 backstroke to set a new program mark.
The Wildcat men took home their third CCSA Championship in 2013, with Onken earning Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet and Men’s Swimmer of the Year honors for the third consecutive season after taking home a trio of individual titles as well as swimming on three champion relays. Most impressively, Onken took home gold in the 400 IM, finishing his career undefeated at the championship meet in that event. He would also win Davidson’s prestigious Tommy Peters Award as the top senior male athlete. In addition to Onken, Dylan Ludwick claimed a pair of CCSA titles while Will Fox earned one as well. The Wildcats also picked up a trio of relay titles as the 400-yard medley relay, 800-medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay all took home top honors. The women’s squad posted 20 performances that ended up on the all-time top-10 lists, including a program record in the 200-yard butterfly by Meredith Nakano and a tie of the program record in the 800-yard free relay.
In 2012, Onken qualified for three events at the NCAA Championships as a junior, also earning the CCSA’s Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet and Men’s Swimmer of the Year honors after helping the Wildcat men to a runner-up finish at the CCSA Championships. Also collecting hardware was Dylan Ludwick, who earned Most Outstanding Freshman accolades for his success in the distance events. Following the conclusion of the season, Onken was named a Mid-Major All-American by Collegswimming.com, while teammates Geoff Peitz and Curtis Chaney earned honorable mention honors. In addition to their outstanding work in the pool, the Wildcats also excelled in the classroom as well. Both the men’s and women’s squads were honored by the College Swim Coaches Association of America, while Onken and Peitz earned All-American honors from the association. In addition, Peitz earned Academic All-District honors.
Young led the Wildcat men's swimming and diving team to its first ever conference championship in 2010, and they repeated as CCSA champions the following season. He was named CCSA Men's Swimming Coach of the Year after both championships. During his tenure, the Wildcat men have completely rewritten the record book, with only three diving records remaining from the previous era.
Overseeing the teams’ move to the CCSA to begin the 2007-08 season, Young led the women’s team to the inaugural championship. He was named CCSA Women's Coach of the Year and coached 14 athletes to All-CCSA performances, including five individual event winners. Under Young's leadership, the Wildcat women have also rewritten the record book, with all but five event records set by his athletes.
The 2011 season brought great success to the Wildcat swimming and diving program, including a second straight CCSA championship for the men, who finished the season ranked 24th in the CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major Poll. With three individual titles and three relay titles, Peitz was named 2011 CCSA Swimmer of the Meet at the league championships, while Drew shared CCSA Swimmer of the Year behind four CCSA Swimmer of the Week honors. Peitz was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team for his success in the classroom. After becoming the first swimmer in Davidson history to compete at the NCAA Championships in 2010, Martin -who was also named CCSA Swimmer of the Year and Meet at the 2011 league championships, made her second straight appearance the following season and was named to the CollegeSwimming.com Mid-Major All-America Tea for a second straight season. Teammates Emily Castle, Curtis Chaney and Peitz earned Honorable Mention.
In 2010, Young led the Wildcat men to their first league championship, earning CCSA Coach of the Year honors. Ben Lane earned Most Outstanding Male Diver for a second straight season, while Martin was named Women's Most Outstanding Swimmer after sweeping the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles. Martin, who set a pair of school records at the 2010 NCAA Championships, was named to the 2010 Mid-Major All-America Team by collegeswimming.com, while 2010 CCSA Most Promising Freshman Onken earned Honorable Mention honors for winning the 400 IM with an NCAA B-cut time at the league championships.
The teams continue to experience success in the new league, as both finished second at the 2009 CCSA Championships and took home several individual honors. Ben Lane was named Most Outstanding Male Diver after winning both the 1 and 3-meter events, and Curtis Chaney was named Most Outstanding Freshman Male Performer for being a three-time individual champion.
In his first two seasons with the Wildcats, Young coached 10 All-CAA performers. The Wildcats also continue to excel in the classroom, with the teams consistently honored by the College Swim Coaches Association of America for academic excellence. Martin, Anna Stringfield '11 and Jean DeOrnellas '13 have all been named Honorable Mention Scholar All-Americans as well.
Prior to joining the Davidson staff, Young spent three years as an assistant swimming coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, helping to guide the Lords and Ladies to four NCAA Division III team championships.
“John has a keen understanding of a highly competitive academic and athletic environment,” Director of Athletics Jim Murphy said. “His background and experience make him a great fit for Davidson.”
During his tenure at Kenyon, Young coached national champions in 23 individual and 20 relay events, including Division III record-setters in four individual and two relay events, and two Olympians. Young was also responsible for the team’s strength and power program as well as recruiting.
A 1997 graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., Young collected four NCAA Division III national championships as a student-athlete and was named NECAC Division III Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.
The team captain and two-time Division III New England Conference Swimmer of the Year also earned All-America honors 16 times and Honorable Mention All-America recognition 10 times. Young’s impressive collegiate career also included seven NEC event records, eight Williams College records and 22 NEC titles.
Before becoming a coach, Young worked as a consultant with a market research firm in Quincy, Mass., where he interacted with clients, managed the firm’s technology infrastructure, and hired and trained new analysts, giving him a skill set unique among many coaches.
Young has also served as a coach at Total Performance Elite Training Camps in New York, Ohio and Wisconsin, as well as the Technique Swimming Camp at Harvard University. He is a member of the American Swim Coaches Association and the College Swim Coaches Association of America.
