Minnesota Hires Michael Hampel as Assistant Coach
Minnesota on Tuesday announced the hiring of Michael Hampel as an assistant coach for the swimming and diving team.
Hampel spent last season as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University. He specialized in the medley and breaststroke groups with the Salukis, who finished 2024 as the highest scoring mid-major program at the women’s NCAA Championships. The Salukis set 38 program records and 27 Missouri Valley Conference marks.
“I am extremely excited to be joining the University of Minnesota Swimming and Diving staff,” Hampel said in a press release. “The leadership and loyalty to Minnesota this staff has shown is something difficult to find in today’s college landscape. I am humbled to be a part of this community, University, and truly elite program. I cannot wait to help these student-athletes reach their God-given potential in and out of the pool. Go Gophers!”
Hampel graduated from Missouri State in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree and has since earned a master’s in professional studies with a graduate certificate in sports management. He began coaching as an assistant at the University of West Florida, which won its fourth straight NSISC Conference Championship and sent 16 swimmers to the NCAA Division II Championships in his season with the school.
He moved on to NAIA power Keiser University. In his season there, Hampel assisted the women’s team in winning its third straight NAIA Championships and the men to a runner-up finish at the national championships.
“Michael comes highly recommended from numerous coaches and administrators within our profession,” Minnesota director of swimming and diving Kelly Kremer said. “He is early in this profession, but his passion for teaching, coaching, and recruiting student-athletes is clear the second you meet him! Michael is an outstanding fit for our program and we are looking forward to his arrival in Minneapolis!”
