Coaching Highlights:
Combined Overall Dual Meet Record: 24-17 (3 Seasons)
Conference Carolinas Men's Swimming Coach of the Year (2024-25)
Conference Carolinas Men's Freshman of the Year: Henry Stockton (2024-25)
Combined Individual Conference Carolinas Champions: 3
Combined Relay Conference Carolinas Champions: 1
Combined All-Conference Selections: 41 (7 First Team, 14 Second Team, 20 Third Team)
Combined CSC Academic All-District Selections: 12
Combined Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll: 104
Men's Finishes Under Simpson
| Year |
Conference Carolinas Championships |
| 2024-2025 |
3rd, 505 Points |
| 2023-2024 |
6th, 503.0 Points |
Women's Finishes Under Simpson
| Year |
Conference Carolinas Championships |
| 2024-2025 |
4th, 424.5 Points |
| 2023-2024 |
4th, 513.0 Points |
| 2022-2023 |
6th, 475.4 Points |
Men's Record Under Simpson (Dual Meets Only)
| Year |
W |
L |
Win% |
| 2024-2025 |
4 |
4 |
.500 |
| 2023-2024 |
3 |
5 |
.375 |
Women's Record Under Simpson (Dual Meets Only)
| Year |
W |
L |
Win% |
| 2024-2025 |
6 |
3 |
.667 |
| 2023-2024 |
7 |
1 |
.875 |
| 2022-2023 |
4 |
4 |
.500 |
In his third season (2024-2025), Simpson was named Conference Carolinas Men's Swimming Coach of the Year. As the head women's coach, Simpson led the Valkyries to a 6-3 overall dual meet record and a 3-0 conference record. For the second straight season, the women finished their home slate with a perfect 3-0 record. At the Conference Carolinas Championships, the women's team finished fourth overall. Emily Byrne and Alison Ludeman were both named Third Team All-Conference under Simpson's guidance.
Simpson guided the men's team to a 4-4 overall dual meet record and and 2-2 Conference Carolina record. The men's team finished third overall at the Conference Carolinas Championship meet, their best finish ever at the Conference Championships. Not only did Simpson take home Coach of the Year honors, but freshman Henry Stockton was named Freshman of the Year after finishing with three-gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal at the championship event. The 200 Free Relay team (L. Milczynski, J. Lilley, K. Rogers, H. Stockton) won the Conference Championship and set a new school record with a time of 1:22.12. The men's team finished the Conference Championships with 6 First Team All-Conference Selections, 9 Second Team All-Conference Selections and 5 Third Team All-Conference Selections. A total of 41 Personal Records were broken at the Conference Championships this season.
In his second season (2023-2024), Simpson led the women's team to a 7-1 overall record and a 2-1 Conference Carolinas dual meet record. The Valkyries finished with a perfect 4-0 record at home and held six meet winning streak at the conclusion of the season. At the Conference Carolinas Championships, Simpson led the women's team to a fourth place finish, highlighted by a Conference Championship by Laureen Roussell. The women's team captured one gold medeal, two silver medals, and three bronze medals at the event. Roussell was named First Team All-Conference, 2x Second Team All-Conference and 2x Third Team All-Conference. Julia Beebe and Emily Byrne were both Second Team All-Conference selections, and 2x Third Team All-Conference picks, Ansley Young was a Second Team All-Conference pick and a 4x Third Team All-Conference Selection, Katherine Beebe was a 3x Third Team All-Conference selection. The women's team finished the Conference Championships with 20 Personal Records and 11 Season Best Records at the meet.
As coach of the inaugural men's team, Simpson guided the Valkyries to a 3-5 overall dual meet record and an 0-3 Conference Carolinas record. The Valkyries finished the season with a 2-2 record at home and a sixth place finish at the Conference Championship meet. Daniel Merzthal led the team with 592 points at the Conference Championship and had a sixth place finish in the 100 breast event. The team finished the meet with 22 personal records and six season best records.
In Simpson's first season (2022-2023) at the helm of the Converse swim team, Simpson led the team to a 4-4 overall dual meet record and a 2-1 Conference record. The Valkyries finished with a 3-1 record at home and a sixth place finish in the Conference Carolinas Championships. Julia Beebe was the top swimmer for the Valkyries, finishing fourth in the 1000 free event and fifth in the 200 free and 500 free events.
Prior to Converse, Simpson spent the two seasons building the men's and women's swim programs at Columbia College (S.C.). Last season the Koalas finished inside the top-five of the Appalachian Athletic Conference. At the AAC Championships, the 200-yard freestyle relay team and the 400-yard medley relay team both finished third overall.
As the head swim coach, Simpson was also tasked with starting a men's program from the ground up at Columbia College. This coming will be the first official season for the Koalas men's program. Simpson also created a $50,000 comprehensive facility upgrade plan for the Greer Natatorium and it was implemented this past May.
Prior to Columbia College, Simpson was the head coach of the Carolina Aquatics Swim Club. During his time as head coach, Carolina Aquatics moved from 11
th at the South Carolina State Championship meet to 5
th in the state. The club also finished 15
th at Senior Sectionals under his leadership. Over the course of his tenure, Carolina Aquatics boasted numerous state championship performances, senior and age group sectionals finalists, a junior National's qualifier and three seniors who signed Division I scholarships.
Prior to his head coaching stint at Carolina Aquatics, Simpson was the Associate head coach at Palmetto Aquatics. Simpson has also served as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of South Carolina. At USC, Simpson was given the opportunity to learn from world-class coaches and work with elite athletes at the SEC, NCAA and Olympic levels. The experience encompassed preseason dryland training, staff meetings, assisting swim practices, leading practices for non-travel swimmers and coaching on deck at home meets.
Before his arrival in Columbia, Simpson worked for Gardner-Webb University as the Assistant Director of Athletics Fundraising. Simpson worked to develop a sport-specific fundraising initiative that yielded a $25,000 fundraising increase for teams across campus.
Prior to his job at Gardner-Webb, Simpson was an assistant swim coach at Wabash College in Indiana. While at Wabash, Simpson spent time as interim head coach and led the team in its season-opening meet against Denison, the second ranked team in the nation. That season, Wabash finished with a winning record and a top-25 national ranking in NCAA Division III.
Simpson was a collegiate swimmer for Gardner-Webb University and eventually began in coaching career as a member of the women's basketball coaching staff.
Simpson has always been around the pool; his father Mike was the head coach at Gardner-Webb before becoming an assistant coach at both South Carolina and Auburn Universities.
Simpson holds a Bachelor's degree in English from Gardner-Webb and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. Simpson and his wife Hannah will be making the move to the Upstate.
