Jimmy Tierney

Biography

McKendree University tapped former NCAA Division I and Big Ten head coach Jimmy Tierney in 2015 to lead the launch of McKendree University's men's and women's swimming and diving programs. Previously, Tierney served as the head coach for the women's swimming and diving team at Northwestern University for the last 21 years. During his 21-year tenure as head coach, Tierney had a hand in coaching 74 individual NCAA All-America honorees, guided 26 Big Ten champions and 39 All Big Ten honorees. Over those 21 seasons, Tierney led Northwestern to five different top-12 finishes and seven top-20 efforts at the NCAA Division I Championships. In dual meet competitions, the Wildcats posted a 126-94-1 record with Tierney at the helm. He was named the 2008 Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year. Tierney has coached with USA Swimming for many years and has been part of several international competitions. He was the head women's coach for the 2001 US Junior Team that competed in Rome. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Tierney earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and completed his master's degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1988.