Nov. 11, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (SMU) - SMU men's swimming and diving assistant coach Andy Kershaw has been selected to serve as the Head Team Manager for Team USA at the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool in Manchester, England.

"This is very exciting for me personally," Kershaw gleamed. "It may be the highest honor I've ever had because I will be representing my country."

Kershaw's duties will include all the logistics and operations of the event. He will coordinate travel, practices and equipment for the 36-person team comprised of the best swimmers in America.

The American team is comprised of 18 men and 18 women, many of whom are Olympic medalists including Michael Phelps, Aaron Peirsol, Katie Hoff and Elizabeth Beisel. Team USA will take on six men and six women each from England, German and Italy in the meet, which consists of 13 individual events and two relay events.

"I am very proud because this selection means USA Swimming thinks I am capable, and have reached a level to help our best swimmers compete internationally," Kershaw stated.

Kershaw also said this was a special opportunity for him because the two people he considers his mentors also served in the position. SMU head coach Eddie Sinnott was the team manager for the United States Olympic team, and Greg Werner, head coach at Ohio University, was head team manager for Team USA at the 2009 World Championships.

Kershaw got his start in coaching as a student assistant for Scott Hammond at Ohio, and spent the next eight years with Werner and the Bobcats including four as an assistant after a one-year graduate assistantship. He is now in his seventh year as an assistant at SMU, and has helped lead the Mustangs to six conference championships and five top-25 finishes at the NCAA Championships.