Release courtesy of Franklin & Marshall Athletic Communications
LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall head men's and women's swimming coach Ben Delia has announced that he is resigning his position with the Diplomats to accept another coaching position at the Division I level. Delia has led the Diplomats to tremendous heights during his 11-year tenure, highlighted by two Olympic Trials qualifiers, 50 All-Americans, and a team-best 17th place finish at 2022 NCAA Division III Championships on the men's side.
Delia guided the Franklin & Marshall men's team to the 2020 Centennial Conference Championship and was recognized by his coaching peers as the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year. That conference championship marked F&M's first in over a decade after the Diplomats completed their first undefeated regular season since the 1964-65 campaign that same season. The Diplomats ran their dual winning streak to 24 consecutive victories this season before being edged by nationally-ranked TCNJ during the regular season finale.
F&M had been ranked among the top 10 men's teams nationally throughout most of the 2022 regular season and posted its highest team score at the conference meet since the 2010 championship season during a runner-up performance. The men's team earned 20 All-America honors during its record-breaking finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Men's swimmers have additionally reset every single school event record since the 2020 season and set two Centennial Conference records during the 2022 season.
The women's success has also been exceptional, highlighted by 13 current school records that were posted throughout Delia's tenure. That success has helped the F&M women to a pair of Centennial Conference runner-up finishes. Delia most notably led three-time Paralympic Gold Medalist Becca Meyers '16 to All-America honors during the 2016 season where she still holds the conference record in both the 1,000- and 1,650-Yard Freestyle events.
Between his success with both programs, Delia recorded 120 dual victories in total - an identical 60 win mark with both programs. His swimmers combined for 121 All-Centennial Conference honors, winning 59 gold medals at the conference championships.
In addition to his coaching success with the Diplomats, Delia has been a tremendous ambassador for the sport and has served on the Division III Swimming & Diving National Championship Committee.
A national search to find the next head coach of the Franklin & Marshall men's and women's swimming programs will commence immediately.