Swim & Dive Adds Graham Carpenter as Assistant Coach
June 09, 2025 | Swimming & Diving
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA head swimming and diving coach Jordan Cordry announced on Monday that the program has hired Graham Carpenter as an assistant coach.
Carpenter arrives in Westwood with coaching experience at the Division I and III levels. Prior to joining the staff at UCLA, Carpenter served as an assistant coach at Ohio State for three seasons, was an assistant coach at John Carroll University and also served as an assistant coach and then interim head coach at Anderson University.
"We are thrilled to welcome Graham to Westwood," head coach Jordan Cordry said. "I have known Graham for years and have always admired his passion and drive as a coach. He's played a key role in the recent success of the Buckeye program, and we're excited for him to bring that experience and energy to UCLA."
"College athletics is evolving rapidly, and it's more important than ever to have a staff that's not only fully committed to our student-athletes, but also creative, adaptable, and enthusiastic in meeting new challenges. I hired Graham because he embodies those qualities, and I'm confident he'll be a great fit for our program."
Carpenter concluded his second season as an assistant coach at Ohio State in 2024-25, following serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Buckeyes during the 2022-23 season.
During the 2024-25 season, Carpenter helped the women's program finish 14th at the NCAA Championships and the men's team take 16th. He also helped coach the Buckeyes to their fifth Big Ten Women's Swimming and Diving Championship in the last six years, while also coaching the men's side to a third-place finish at the conference meet. Under Carpenter's tutelage, both Matt Klinge and Mila Nikanorov earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2025.
I am excited, grateful and am honored for the opportunity to be a Bruin," Carpenter said. "I think Coach Cordry's vision and goals for the program are truly special, and I can't wait to be a part of it all. As a young coach, this chance to continue to learn and grow within one of the most successful athletic departments in the country is simply amazing. Go Bruins!"
As a volunteer with the Buckeyes, Carpenter assisted with recruiting efforts and accompanied student-athletes to outside competitions. He was also responsible for the implementation and management of on-deck equipment, collecting and interpreting training-related data, assisting with logistics during team travel and aided in the creation and distribution of social media content.
Prior to Ohio State, Carpenter had coaching stints at Anderson University and John Carroll University. He was a volunteer coach at Anderson during the 2019-20 season, and at the beginning of the 2020-21 season, he was named the interim head coach of the program. He spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at John Carroll.
Carpenter graduated from Ball State in 2021, earning a degree in criminal justice and criminology. He competed on the swim team at Ball State for one season. Carpenter earned a graduate certificate in non-profit administration from John Carroll in 2022.
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Carpenter arrives in Westwood with coaching experience at the Division I and III levels. Prior to joining the staff at UCLA, Carpenter served as an assistant coach at Ohio State for three seasons, was an assistant coach at John Carroll University and also served as an assistant coach and then interim head coach at Anderson University.
"We are thrilled to welcome Graham to Westwood," head coach Jordan Cordry said. "I have known Graham for years and have always admired his passion and drive as a coach. He's played a key role in the recent success of the Buckeye program, and we're excited for him to bring that experience and energy to UCLA."
"College athletics is evolving rapidly, and it's more important than ever to have a staff that's not only fully committed to our student-athletes, but also creative, adaptable, and enthusiastic in meeting new challenges. I hired Graham because he embodies those qualities, and I'm confident he'll be a great fit for our program."
Carpenter concluded his second season as an assistant coach at Ohio State in 2024-25, following serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Buckeyes during the 2022-23 season.
During the 2024-25 season, Carpenter helped the women's program finish 14th at the NCAA Championships and the men's team take 16th. He also helped coach the Buckeyes to their fifth Big Ten Women's Swimming and Diving Championship in the last six years, while also coaching the men's side to a third-place finish at the conference meet. Under Carpenter's tutelage, both Matt Klinge and Mila Nikanorov earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2025.
I am excited, grateful and am honored for the opportunity to be a Bruin," Carpenter said. "I think Coach Cordry's vision and goals for the program are truly special, and I can't wait to be a part of it all. As a young coach, this chance to continue to learn and grow within one of the most successful athletic departments in the country is simply amazing. Go Bruins!"
As a volunteer with the Buckeyes, Carpenter assisted with recruiting efforts and accompanied student-athletes to outside competitions. He was also responsible for the implementation and management of on-deck equipment, collecting and interpreting training-related data, assisting with logistics during team travel and aided in the creation and distribution of social media content.
Prior to Ohio State, Carpenter had coaching stints at Anderson University and John Carroll University. He was a volunteer coach at Anderson during the 2019-20 season, and at the beginning of the 2020-21 season, he was named the interim head coach of the program. He spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at John Carroll.
Carpenter graduated from Ball State in 2021, earning a degree in criminal justice and criminology. He competed on the swim team at Ball State for one season. Carpenter earned a graduate certificate in non-profit administration from John Carroll in 2022.
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