Fabian Named Head Swim/Dive Coach at Keene State

'KEENE, N.H. 03/21/06 - Jack Fabian, Ph.D., has been named head coach of the Keene State College swimming and diving program.  Fabian is looking forward to building on his success as an assistant coach with the team the past six seasons. 

Fabian said that his familiarity with the program will be extremely helpful as he assumes his new position.  "After working with the program over the past few years, the athletes know my expectations are very high, and I am confident that they're ready to train at that level," he said. 

"We're excited about Jack taking over the program," said KSC athletic director John Ratliff.  "His knowledge of the teams should benefit him as he looks to take the program to the next level."

Fabian believes that he was fortunate to begin his career as an assistant with former Owl coach Gene Leonard. "Gene not only motivated the swimmers and divers, but also inspired people like me to pursue a career in coaching," Fabian said.

As an Owl assistant, Fabian worked primarily with distance swimmers, including junior standout Katlin Pryor, a former New England (Div. II-III) champion and multiple KSC record holder.

Fabian's initial goals for the program include building up the program through recruiting and instituting an endurance-based training program.  "I want the program to reach a point where we are qualifying athletes for regional and national competition on a consistent basis," he said.

Fabian, a Weston, Conn., native, is also the national development coach for the Greenwood Memorial Swim Club, a USA swimming program based in Keene and Gardner, Mass.  As a USA swimming coach, Fabian has produced nationally recognized top-16, high school All-American, junior national, and sectional level qualifiers.  An ASCA level-3 certified coach, he has represented New England as an assistant coach as the Eastern Zone Championship meet in 2004 and 2005. As a coach for Greenwood, Fabian works closely with Greenwood's national coach Don Lemieux, who has trained numerous swimmers to qualify for Division I schools, USA swimming nationals, and Olympic trials.  Chris Woolridge, a KSC swimming alum who also serves as the head age group coach for the Greenwood team, will join the Owl program as the team's sprint coach next season.

Fabian, who also runs a master's swim program at KSC, graduated from Hobart College in 1985 with a bachelor of science degree in biology and earned a doctorate in molecular biology in 1992 from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  He obtained his post-doctoral training at the National Cancer Institute and worked as an assistant professor at Penn State and as an adjunct professor at Keene State.

Fabian replaces Al Rozzi, who served as head coach of the KSC swim program the past two years.  "I enjoyed working with Al, he was a class act and I wish him well in his future endeavors," Fabian said.

Fabian, along with his wife Claire and children Max and Eva, reside in Keene.