Email Coach Dansky
Mitch Dansky is in his fifth season (2017-18) as an assistant coach for the SMU men's swimming and diving team. In addition to serving as the team's assistant coach, Dansky also serves as the recruiting coordinator and the director for the Mustang Swim Camp.
The Mustangs earned runner-up honors at the American Athletic Conference Championships from 2014-2017, and compiled 70 all-conference accolades. SMU placed third at the 2018 AAC Championships, and Jonathan Gomez repeated as Swimmer of the Year.
SMU returned to the national stage in 2017 as Gomez represented the Mustangs at the NCAA Championships. Under the guidance of Dansky, Gomez qualified for three events at the Championships after being named the AAC Most Outstanding Swimmer. The junior posted three school (500 free, 4:17.68 / 200 fly, 1:41.98 / 400 IM, 3:43.97) and American meet records en route to the honor. As a team, the Mustangs posted 13 NCAA provisional standards.
During the 2016 season, SMU posted 13 NCAA B cuts and saw Sam Straughan earn AAC Most Outstanding Swimmer honors.
In 2015, the Mustangs posted 11 NCAA B cut times throughout the season and four conference meet records (500 free, 100 back, 200 fly, 400 medley relay). Working with the mid-distance and distance groups, Dansky saw freshman Christian Scherubl break two school records (200 & 500 free) and earn the conference's Most Outstanding Swimmer award. During the summer of 2015, Scherubl also competed in the 50, 100 and 200 free at the World University Games, and in the 100 free and 4x200 free relay at the FINA World Championships.
The 2013-14 season saw Dansky help coach the SMU men's swimming and diving team to a runner-up finish in the inaugural season of the American Athletic Conference. Dansky mentored the distance group and had 13 student-athletes post NCAA B cut times. As a team, the Mustangs earned 11 all-conference honors. In his first season as recruiting coordinator, Dansky landed multiple top-100 recruits.
During his time with the Mustangs, the team has earned CSCAA Scholar All-America honors each semester and were named the American Athletic Conference Team Excellence Award winner from 2014-17. The program’s 3.42 GPA following the 2014-15 school year was the highest in history, earning their highest placement of seventh on the CSCAA list. Eleven individuals have earned CSCAA Scholar All-America honors, and Ryan Koops and Bryce Klein have been named the AAC Sport Excellence Award winners for men’s swimming and diving.
Dansky is a 2012 Connecticut graduate and a former student-athlete for the Huskies (2008-12). He spent one year as a coaching assistant, serving as recruiting coordinator and leader of the sprint group. In 2012-13, UConn set 16 school records, including seven from the sprint group.
Dansky has coached with the Greenwood Memorial Swim Club in Gardner, Mass., as well as the national team that included three athletes who competed at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Dansky spent the 2012 and 2013 summers working at the SMU swim camp as well.
During his competitive career, Dansky was a BIG EAST finalist all four years in the 1,650-yard freestyle and was elected team captain his senior year. A Big East All-Academic honoree, Dansky still holds spots in the Huskies' top 10 times in the 1,650-yard and 500-yard freestyles and the 400-yard IM.
During the summer of 2017, Dansky was selected as a coach for the Southern Zone Diversity Swim Camp and Summit. The purpose of the camp is to "celebrate the opportunities of/for diversity in swimming through inspiration of athletes, coaches and volunteers," and, furthermore, "create local ambassadors and leaders to grow our sport."
A native of Winchendon, Mass., Dansky earned his bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in political science. He completed his master's in organizational dynamics at SMU in 2017, focusing his thesis on the necessity for endowments in collegiate swimming programs.
