Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus Georgia Tech on January 17, 2026 at 10 a.m. Diving / 11 a.m. Swimming
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10 a.m. Diving / 11 a.m. Swimming
Swimming & Diving
vs Georgia Tech
Doak Finch Named Interim Swimming and Diving Head Coach
12/22/2022 2:00:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
DURHAM – Duke swimming and diving has named Associate Head Coach Doak Finch, as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
Finch joined the Duke swimming and diving staff in 2016, before being promoted to Associate Head Coach in July, 2017. During the 2021-22 season, the Duke women matched its all-time best fifth-place finish at the ACC Championships and finished 24th in the NCAA Championships. He helped mentor the Blue Devils to break 10 program records, including five individual records by Sarah Foley. In addition, Finch saw relay teams record program record times at the ACC Championships.
During the 2020 season, Finch oversaw eight student-athletes who were named CSCAA All-Americans. He helped lead the men's and women's teams to the highest rankings each side had received in program history, as the women were dubbed ninth in the final CSCAA poll while the men reached 15th in the November edition. In addition to success in the pool, 26 Blue Devils were named CSCAA Scholar All-Americans.
Duke set a program record of 13 individual and one relay All-America honors at the 2019 NCAA Championships. The women led the way with seven student-athletes being recognized across 12 events. The women boasted its best ACC Championship finish in program history, finishing 5th, before placing 23rd in the NCAA Championships, the best finish since 2011. The men placed 29th at the NCAA Championships, their best finish since 2014.
A program record 12 women's swimmers and divers represented Duke at the 2018 NCAA Championships, with seniors Leah Goldman (100-yard butterfly) and MaryEllen Targonski (platform diving) capturing honorable mention All-America honors. Distance specialist Verity Abel made her second career NCAA appearance as a senior, earning a top-25 finish nationally in the 1,650 freestyle. At the ACC Championships, Goldman claimed the first individual conference title for the women's program since 2012, bringing home the hardware in the 200 individual medley. Under Finch's guidance, the Blue Devil women rounded out the year ranked among the top 25 in the final TYR/CSCAA Division I poll of the season, while the Duke men also scored at NCAAs behind honorable mention All-America performances by divers Nathaniel Hernandez (platform) and Evan Moretti (one-meter springboard).
Prior to his arrival in Durham, Finch spent three seasons at Penn State as an assistant coach. During that time, he helped guide the Nittany Lion women to top-25 finishes at the 2014, 2015 and 2016 NCAA Championship, and the men to top-25 showings at the national meet in 2014 and 2015.
Finch began his coaching career at his alma mater Virginia, spending 12 seasons as an assistant on the Cavaliers staff. During that time, he oversaw the distance swimmers and saw the UVA men and women take home ACC crowns from 2008-13, while the men went on to place top 10 at NCAA's three times in that span (2009, 2010, 2011) and the women once (2010). Finch also boasts coaching experience at the national level with USA Swimming, overseeing athletes who qualified for the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021 Olympic Team Trials.
Finch concluded his career at Virginia as an 11-time NCAA All-American and an 11-time ACC event champion, capturing eight ACC titles as an individual and three as a member of Cavalier relays. He was named the 1997 ACC Rookie of the Year and MVP of the 1998 ACC Championship meet. He became the 14th individual to win four consecutive ACC titles in the same event in 2000 (400 IM) and was a member of the US National Team and finalist at both the 1999 World University Games and the 2000 US Olympic Trials in the 200 meter butterfly.
#GoDuke
Finch joined the Duke swimming and diving staff in 2016, before being promoted to Associate Head Coach in July, 2017. During the 2021-22 season, the Duke women matched its all-time best fifth-place finish at the ACC Championships and finished 24th in the NCAA Championships. He helped mentor the Blue Devils to break 10 program records, including five individual records by Sarah Foley. In addition, Finch saw relay teams record program record times at the ACC Championships.
During the 2020 season, Finch oversaw eight student-athletes who were named CSCAA All-Americans. He helped lead the men's and women's teams to the highest rankings each side had received in program history, as the women were dubbed ninth in the final CSCAA poll while the men reached 15th in the November edition. In addition to success in the pool, 26 Blue Devils were named CSCAA Scholar All-Americans.
Duke set a program record of 13 individual and one relay All-America honors at the 2019 NCAA Championships. The women led the way with seven student-athletes being recognized across 12 events. The women boasted its best ACC Championship finish in program history, finishing 5th, before placing 23rd in the NCAA Championships, the best finish since 2011. The men placed 29th at the NCAA Championships, their best finish since 2014.
A program record 12 women's swimmers and divers represented Duke at the 2018 NCAA Championships, with seniors Leah Goldman (100-yard butterfly) and MaryEllen Targonski (platform diving) capturing honorable mention All-America honors. Distance specialist Verity Abel made her second career NCAA appearance as a senior, earning a top-25 finish nationally in the 1,650 freestyle. At the ACC Championships, Goldman claimed the first individual conference title for the women's program since 2012, bringing home the hardware in the 200 individual medley. Under Finch's guidance, the Blue Devil women rounded out the year ranked among the top 25 in the final TYR/CSCAA Division I poll of the season, while the Duke men also scored at NCAAs behind honorable mention All-America performances by divers Nathaniel Hernandez (platform) and Evan Moretti (one-meter springboard).
Prior to his arrival in Durham, Finch spent three seasons at Penn State as an assistant coach. During that time, he helped guide the Nittany Lion women to top-25 finishes at the 2014, 2015 and 2016 NCAA Championship, and the men to top-25 showings at the national meet in 2014 and 2015.
Finch began his coaching career at his alma mater Virginia, spending 12 seasons as an assistant on the Cavaliers staff. During that time, he oversaw the distance swimmers and saw the UVA men and women take home ACC crowns from 2008-13, while the men went on to place top 10 at NCAA's three times in that span (2009, 2010, 2011) and the women once (2010). Finch also boasts coaching experience at the national level with USA Swimming, overseeing athletes who qualified for the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021 Olympic Team Trials.
Finch concluded his career at Virginia as an 11-time NCAA All-American and an 11-time ACC event champion, capturing eight ACC titles as an individual and three as a member of Cavalier relays. He was named the 1997 ACC Rookie of the Year and MVP of the 1998 ACC Championship meet. He became the 14th individual to win four consecutive ACC titles in the same event in 2000 (400 IM) and was a member of the US National Team and finalist at both the 1999 World University Games and the 2000 US Olympic Trials in the 200 meter butterfly.
#GoDuke
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