Erin Chrissobolis named head Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Coach at Ohio Northern

By Marissa Myers

ADA — Ohio Northern's men's and women's Swimming and Diving teams will be under new leadership next season, as ONU assistant coach Erin Chrissobolis has been named the Polar Bears' new head coach for both programs.

Chrissobolis spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at ONU, including six years as a full-time assistant and two seasons as a part-time assistant in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Coach Austin Veltman stepped down as the head coach this spring after a successful eight-year run at Ohio Northern.

"We are excited to have Erin lead our women's and men's swimming and diving teams," ONU director of athletics Tom Simmons said. "She is passionate about our student-athlete's success in the classroom and in the pool. There is momentum coming off our Men's Swimming and Diving OAC Championship and we look forward to many more for both teams in the future."

A native of Martinsville, Ind., Chrissobolis came up through the swimming ranks swimming for her local YMCA team and Center Grove Aquatic Club, where she was a junior and senior national qualifier. In high school, she was also able to participate on a swim team that went to Germany with Sport for Understanding.

Chrissobolis earned a bachelor's degree in German, an MAT in Foreign Language Education (certification in German and Science) and an MA in German Linguistics from the University of Iowa.

An ankle injury prevented Chrissobolis from competing for the Hawkeyes, but her love for swimming and desire to train swimmers has persisted. She also officiates during the summer for the Ada Gators.

She and Veltman were named the OAC Women's Coaching Staff of the Year in 2021.

Chrissobolis resides in Ada with her husband Sophocles, a professor in the Raabe College of Pharmacy, and son, Timothy.