David Dent enters his second season as an assistant coach for the West Virginia University swimming and diving program after joining the staff in July 2024.
In his role at WVU, Dent oversees the short distance swimmers and assists in all recruiting efforts.
Prior to West Virginia
The Fairmont State graduate served as the head coach at Florida Tech from 2018-2024. Under Dent’s leadership, Florida Tech swimmers achieved program milestones as he sent multiple swimmers to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Division II Championships, and two individuals qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2024.
Florida Tech freshman Akos Hajagos placed second in the men’s 200-yard butterfly at the 2024 NCAA Championships, making him the first Florida Tech swimmer to place that high in any event at the NCAA Championships. Hajagos also earned two All-American honors as a First Team All-American in the 200 butterfly and an All-American Honorable Mention in the 400-yard individual medley.
Under Dent, Florida Tech’s men’s swimming team ranked No. 19 in the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll in December and January during the 2023-24 season.
Dent also sent three individual swimmers and two relay teams to the NCAA Championships in 2023. One relay team became the first women’s relay team at Florida Tech to compete at the NCAA Championships.
At the 2021 NCAA Championships, Savannah Brennan became the first female Florida Tech swimmer to score points.
Throughout his tenure, Florida Tech swimmers also excelled in the classroom. The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams were named CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams multiple times, and seven swimmers were named CSCAA Scholar All-Americans in 2023.
Dent served as an assistant coach for Florida Tech from 2017-18 and as interim head coach at WVU Tech from 2015-17. He was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference Men’s Coach of the Year in 2017.
At Fairmont State, Dent held seven program records and qualified for the 2013 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. Dent was also a 2013 USA Swimming Winter Nationals qualifier.
Dent earned a degree in exercise science from Fairmont State University in 2014. Dent resides in Morgantown with his wife, Emily.
