Olivet College swimming and diving coach accepts position at Albion College

OLIVET, Mich. -- Olivet College Athletic Director Heather Bateman has announced that Head Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Coach Jake Taber is leaving the college to accept the head coaching position at Albion College. Taber completed his fifth season as the Comets' head coach in 2011-12.

"We are certainly going to miss Jake," said Bateman. "We wish him the best of luck at Albion. Jake has done a great job leading our teams with both performing at a high level athletically and academically."

During his tenure at Olivet, Taber's teams have been successful in and out of the swimming pool. In the pool, the men finished in second-place at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championships once (2008) and third-place four times (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012), while the women have finished as high as fourth three times (2008, 2009 and 2012). Taber has coached 20 All-MIAA performers, including nine individual event conference champions. His athletes have broken 34 school records out of 46 events. In addition, he has had 11 athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships, including the most in school history (six) in 2012.

Out of the pool, Taber coached a two-time NCAA Elite 88 performer. More than 20 student-athletes have also earned MIAA Academic Honor Roll honors and/or were named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) team. Two times, the women's team earned the MIAA Team GPA award. His teams have also received the the CSCAA Scholar All-America team award, including both for the 2011 fall semester.

"I would like to thank Olivet for everything it did for me in my first opportunity to be a head coach," said Taber. "Most importantly, I want to thank the student-athletes at Olivet. They have excelled in countless ways, and I wish them the best of luck in their future."