Arizona State swimming head coach Bob Bowman has named Olympic Gold Medalist and Arizona Sports Hall of Fame inductee Misty Hyman as the senior assistant coach of Sun Devil swimming.
Hyman, an Olympic gold medalist at the 2000 Sydney games in the 200-meter butterfly, is one of the most esteemed athletes to hail from Phoenix, Ariz. A graduate of Shadow Mountain High School, Hyman set the then-American and Olympic record in the 200-meter butterfly and once held the World short course record in the 100-meter butterfly.
“I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to add Misty Hyman to our staff at Arizona State,” said Bowman. “She is an Olympic Champion who is dedicated to sharing her passion for the sport with others. Misty will not only be an excellent coach in terms of technique and training but will also serve as a tremendous role model for our Sun Devil student-athletes."
After a distinguished athletic career, Hyman has transitioned to the coaching profession focusing on the technical aspects of the sport. Since 2009, Hyman has trained swimmers one-on-one including collegiate swimmers, Olympic trial qualifiers, a Junior National Silver Medalist, a British National Team member, a Swiss Junior National Champion, and multiple State record holders. Among the technical aspects Hyman focuses on, Hyman developed butterfly-specific drill progression to help athletes improve and perfect their timing in the event. Hyman is also credited as one of the pioneers of the underwater dolphin kick.
Hyman will continue to train her long-time clients at the Sanctuary Resort in Paradise Valley, Ariz in addition to her duties with Arizona State.
“I am very excited to accept the position as Senior Assistant Coach at Arizona State University alongside Bob Bowman,” said Hyman. “I am honored that Bob chose me to help build something special at my hometown university. I am looking forward to continuing to learn and grow as a coach at the highest level of our great sport, and I feel tremendously privileged to have the opportunity to positively influence the Sun Devil student-athletes.”
After graduating from Shadow Mountain High School, Hyman went on to a storied collegiate career at Stanford University where she is a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame. Hyman was a five-time NCAA Champion for the Cardinal and was named the 1998 NCAA Swimmer of the Year. Winning the prestigious Honda award two times as the best female swimmer in the country, Hyman was named one of the 2001 NCAA Top Eight Award winners for athletics, academics, and community service.
While attending Stanford, Hyman also saw concurrent success in national and international competition winning gold medals at the 1998 World Championships, 1999 Pan Pacific Champions, and 2000 Sydney Olympic games. Hyman was a six-time National Champion in the 100-meter butterfly and a seven-time National Champion in the 200-meter butterfly.
Hyman graduated from Stanford with a bachelor’s of science in International Relations in 2002 and went on to earn an MBA at Les Roches in Bluche, Switzerland where she was named class valedictorian.