Roric Fink is entering his third season at SMU as the Associate Head Coach in 2026-27.
The SMU Swimming program had a record-breaking season in 2025-26. The Mustangs broke eight school records along with 38 new additions to SMU's All-Time Top Performers List. The team secured 14 NCAA Standards as well, including three relays. With coaching from Fink, five swimmers earned Second-Team All-America Status: Jack Berube (200 Back), Jack Forrest (800 Free Relay), Harold Lockhart (800 Free Relay), Francis Brennan (800 Free Relay) and Sage Sungail (800 Free Relay).
Excelling in more than just the pool, the team saw seven members get named to the All-ACC Academic Team. Furthermore, four Mustangs earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
In his first season back on the Hilltop in 2024-25, the Mustangs embarked on their first season as a member of the ACC. During the season, SMU worked on rewriting the record books, posting 33 new Top-10 times along with new school records in the 100 & 200 back and the 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. The Mustangs also reached NCAA standards in four different relays, competing in three at the NCAA Championships.
The accomplishments weren't just limited to the pool, as 16 Mustangs landed on the All-ACC Academic Team following the season. In addition, four different SMU swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors, while Eric Stelmar picked up CSC Third Team Academic All-America accolades.Â
Prior to rejoining the Mustangs, Fink spent two seasons at Arizona as an assistant and associate head coach. This was his second stint with the program, previously serving in the same role from 2003-10.
Fink has spent time on the Hilltop before, helping out as a volunteer assistant back in 2022.
The 1986 graduate of Whitworth College served as an associate head coach at Texas for eight years from 2012-20 and prior to that he held the same role at Missouri for two seasons.
He also boasts extensive and impressive club coaching experience, having built one of the nation's top aquatics clubs, Ford Aquatics, while in Tucson. While there, he steered the development of Lacey Nymeyer, Dave Rollins, Tyler DeBerry, and Marcus Titus, all of whom went on to win NCAA National Championships with Arizona.
