COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Ryan Mallam, former head coach at perennial powerhouse Indian River State College (Fla.), has been named men’s associate head swimming coach at Texas A&M, head coach Jay Holmes announced on Monday.
Mallam, a four-year swimming letterman at the University of South Carolina, brings a wealth of swimming expertise to Texas A&M, which recently posted its 18th straight top 25 finish at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. Mallam replaces veteran coach Douglas Boyd, who coached for nine seasons with Holmes including the last eight as the associate head coach.
“The people I talked to during the process kept using the same theme when describing Ryan: innovative, hungry and he cares about his athletes,” Holmes said. “I’ve followed his career for several years, and everywhere he’s been his swimmers have always performed at an extremely high level. We’re looking for him to make an immediate impact with the expertise that he brings to our program. I’m excited about his addition and having him and his family become a part of the Aggie family.”
Mallam spent the past four seasons – three as head coach and one as assistant coach — at Indian River, and the Pioneers swept the NJCAA men’s and women’s national titles each year. One of college swimming and diving’s winningest programs, the Indian River men’s squad has won 39 straight national team titles, while the women’s team has won 35 consecutive national crowns.
“His leadership and ability to communicate with the athletes created a learning environment that allowed students of the sport to thrive.” Indian River Athletic Director Scott Kimmelman said, “I fully expect Ryan will be highly successful at his job with Texas A&M and wish him the best as he enters the NCAA Division I ranks in the Southeastern Conference, one of the most competitive conferences in the nation.”
In his three seasons as head coach, Mallam saw his swimmers break 19 national records. Included among the many individual NCJAA records set under his watch was the 19.06 50-yard freestyle time by freshman Brad Tandy in 2012. It was the first time in history that a NJCAA student-athlete was the fastest in the nation.
Mallam was named the men’s and women’s NJCAA Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013. His 2011 and 2012 team received Scholar All-American Team honors from the College Swim Coach Association of America (CSCAA). Mallam also oversaw Indian River Aquatics in Fort Pierce, Fla., from 2009-11.
Before joining one of college swimming’s most successful programs at Indian River, he led Limestone College to its best season in school history in his one season as head coach. At the 2009 conference championships, Limestone College set three national records, 22 team records and had 49 all-conference performances while producing the male swimmer of the meet. Limestone went on to qualify 14 swimmers to the NCAA Div. II Championships, the most in school history. During the season, the Saints broke 34 of 38 possible school records.
He also served an assistant coach for six seasons with the Southern Crescent Aquatic Team in Peachtree City, Ga., from 2002-08. He coached multiple Olympic Trials qualifiers, senior and junior national qualifiers and state champions during his stint with SCAT. He was selected as an assistant coach for the Georgia Zone Team in 2008.
Mallam earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from South Carolina in 2000, and he had a double major in economics and management. He was named to the Southeastern Conference Scholastic Honor Roll in 2000. He also attended the John Marshall Law School from 2002-04. As a swimmer for the Gamecocks, Mallam was coached by Keith Switzer and Don Gibb. During his prep career, Mallam was a regional and state champion, as well as a Junior Nationals and US Open qualifier. He was inducted into the Fayette County (Ga.) Swimming Hall of Fame in 2005.
A native of Fayetteville, Ga., Mallam and wife, Ashley, have one son, Levi (6).
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics