University of North Carolina Athletics
Swimming & Diving
- Title:
- Head Assistant Coach
Chris Hansen returned to the University of North Carolina as the head assistant swimming coach in July 2004. It marked Hansen's second tour of duty with the Tar Heels. He also served as an assistant with the Tar Heels during the 1994-95 school year.
Hansen's return led to immediate rewards for the Tar Heel program. As Carolina's chief recruiter he helped Carolina sign outstanding freshman classes for the 2005-06 school year.
Hansen also contributed to a more structured offseason training program that reaped benefits for Carolina swimmers in the summer of 2005. Hansen coached with the North Carolina Aquatic Club this past summer and he led current UNC swimmers Chad Ames, Patrick Woodruff, Tristan Davidson, Josh Glasco and Lindsey Marck to the 2005 U.S. Swimming Senior National Championships. At that meet, Ames, Marck, Glasco and Woodruff all were finalists and all made qualifying times for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. Last April, Hansen coached Ames and Marck to Top 16 finalists spots at the U.S. Trials for the World Championships team. Both UNC swimmers were finalists in both the 100- and 200-meter butterfly events.
During the 2004-05 season, Hansen coached three NCAA qualifiers - Lindsey Marck in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events, Virginia Hanson in the 200-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley and Josh Glaco in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly. Glasco earned All-America honors for the second successive year as well as breaking the school year in the 200-yard butterfly at the 2004 Nike Cup.
During his first stint at Carolina, Hansen assisted in coaching NCAA qualifiers Steve Bonack, Yann deFabrique, Micah Copeland, Scott Troy, Jeff Weiss, Leslie Ramsey, Chrissy Miller and Carrie Szulc. In 1995, he coached Miller to Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Swimming Rookie of the Year honors. That same year, he coached a trio of breaststrokers who finished first, second and third in the 200-yard event at the ACC Men's Swimming Championships -- Jeff Weiss, Steve Bonack and Scott Troy.
A total of 12 swimmers coached by Hansen at Carolina that year qualified for the NCAA Championships and eight were recognized as All-Americas. Three qualified for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials. The swimmers broke seven UNC records and three ACC records. Carolina won both the men's and women's ACC titles in 1995.
The following year Hansen left to take a full-time assistant swimming coach's position at Villanova University, staying one year. In 1996, the Wildcats won the Big East women's title and finished fourth in the men's meet. Five Villanova swimmers qualified for the 1996 NCAA Championships and one competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Hansen left Villanova in 1996 to take the head coaching position at Virginia Tech where he stayed two seasons, leading the Hokies to great success. While at Virginia Tech, Hansen led the Hokies to more victories in one season than at any time since 1933 as the women went 13-1 and the men 11-3 during the 1998 campaign. For his efforts he was recognized as the Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year in 1998. During his tenure in Blacksburg, Va., Hansen guided his swimmers to 15 school records and five Atlantic 10 Conference records in just a two-year period.
In 1998, Hansen took a position as the head assistant swimming coach at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. One of his chief accomplishments with the Runnin' Rebels was coaching Whitney Phelps, Mountain West Swimmer of the Year and a 1996 and 2000 Olympic Trials qualifier. Phelps, sister of 2004 U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps, was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the world in the 200-meter butterfly under Hansen's tutelage.
At UNLV, Hansen helped produce 12 All-America selections as well as 2000 U.S. Olympic Trial qualifiers Michael Short, Garrett Word and Pietr Kryskow. Both UNLV teams were also chosen to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America All-Academic Teams.
Seeking a return to the East Coast, Hansen coached at Old Dominion University in 2002-03 and then worked in the restaurant industry for a year before his return to Chapel Hill in 2004.
Hansen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in health and physical education in May 1991 from Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. He attended East Carolina University, earning a Master of Arts degree in exercise and sports science in May 1994.
While in Greenville, Hansen served as an assistant coach with the ECU swimming teams for two seasons. The Pirates broke 32 school records in those two years and in 1994 the women's swimming staff won Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year accolades.
