Women’s swim & dive head coach Sue Novitsky retires after 28 years with Illinois
Photo courtesy of Della Perrone/Illini Athletics
Illinois swim & dive head coach Sue Novitsky watches an event during the Orange and Blue meet on Sept. 29, 2018. During Novitsky’s 28 years of coaching she has had 16 swimmers go to the NCAA Championships.
March 18, 2022
After 28 years with Illinois, and 22 years serving as head coach, Sue Novitsky announced her retirement this morning.
Graduate of Division II Oakland University, Novitsky first joined Illinois as a volunteer assistant coach until her promotion to assistant coach after three years.
She was hired as the head coach of the team in the summer of 2000, since leading the program to a 114-120-2, the most wins by a head coach in program history.
Novitsky has developed many Illinois swim legends such as first-team All-Big Ten honorees Anna Christiansen in 2001 and Barbie Viney in 2006.
Throughout her time as head coach, Novitsky has sent 16 individual swimmers to the NCAA Championships.
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During her time in Champaign, the Illini have set program-best times in all 23 swimming events and also 1-meter, 3-meter and platform diving.
In Novitsky’s first year alone, three Illinois swimmers qualified for the NCAA Championships with Jessica Aveyard (‘02) repeating as an All-American.
“Under Sue’s leadership, our swimming and diving student-athletes performed exceptionally in the classroom and were always very active on campus and in the community. Amongst her head coaching colleagues, Sue brought needed perspective, humor, and experience. She was the first to volunteer for various DIA initiatives, and I will always remember her enthusiastic participation in our annual Jock Jams event,” UI director of athletics Josh Whitman said in an interview with Illinois Athletics. “We celebrate Sue in her retirement and wish her nothing but the best in her new adventures.”
Each of her 22 swim and dive teams were given awards for their excellence in the classroom by grade point average by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America.
Novitsky retires after establishing a unique and fundamentally strong academic and competitive culture for whoever is given the opportunity to be the sixth swim and dive head coach in Illinois history.
The Illini went 5-4 in the 2021-2022 season and finished 11th in the Big Ten Championship.
Her consistency will be cemented in Illinois history as her teams were always high energy and willing to give everything for their coach.
“I am grateful for the opportunity that was given to me and I will cherish all of the memories that I will be taking with me from 28 years wearing orange & blue,” Novitsky said to Illinois Athletics.
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