Geoff Hanson

Geoff Hanson is entering his sixth year as the Men’s and Women’s Head Coach following a historic and record-breaking 2023-24 season. Since Hanson began with the Saluki Swimming & Diving program in the fall of 2019, SIU swimmers and divers have compiled more than 50 relay and individual conference titles, and set program records nearly 100 times.

The Salukis have combined for a 52-23 dual-meet record in Hanson’s first five seasons as well as sweeping the SIU Invitational in 2019 and the A3 Performance Invitational in 2021, 2022 and 2023. In 2023 the Saluki Men finished 28^that the Men’s NCAA Championships, while in 2024 the Women matched that 28^th place finish at the Women’s NCAAs.

During the 2023-24 season the Saluki men and women combined for 13 relay and individual MVC and MAC titles, and 17 total program records. The women compiled 1126.5 points for a third-place finish in the Missouri Valley, while the men complied 657.5 points to also finish third in their final year as a member of the Mid-American Conference.

Under Hanson, Celia Pulido-JR was named MVC Swimmer of the Year for her performances during the regular season and conference meet. Pulido went on to a historic showing at the Women’s NCAA Championships in Athens, GA. Her 7^th place First Team All-American finish in the 100 Backstroke marked the highest NCAA finish by a female Saluki swimmer since 1988. Her time of 50.73 stands as the fastest 100 Backstroke in mid-major collegiate history. She also finished 13^th in the 200 Backstroke.

Former unrecruited walk-on, Alex Santiago-JR, continued his rise under coach Hanson in 2023-24. Santiago won three individual and three relay MAC titles, and was named the 2024 MAC Outstanding Swimmer. In addition, freshmen Benedek Andor was name 2024 MAC Outstanding Freshmen.

Alex Santiago went on to represent the Salukis at the Men’s NCAA Championships in Indianapolis, IN finishing 31^st in the 50 Free and 54^th in the 100 Free. The 2024 championship season marked the first time since 1992 that SIU had qualifiers at both the Women’s and Men’s NCAAs in the same season. The Salukis were one of just two mid-major programs to have qualifiers at both meets in 2024.

The 2022-23 season saw the Salukis represented at the Men’s NCAA Championships for the first time since 2005. Ruard Van Renen-FR scored in both 100 and 200 Backstrokes, finishing 9^th and 13^th respectively, becoming the first SIU All-American swimmer in 31 years.

During the 2023 championship season, the SIU women finished 5^th at the MVC Championships and the men finished 3^rd at the MAC Championships. Van Renen was named MAC Outstanding Swimmer and Outstanding Freshmen, while Olivia Herron was selected as the 2023 MVC Freshmen of the Year for her performances during the season and at the championships.

In his first year at SIU, Hanson led the women’s team to a runner-up finish in the Missouri Valley Conference and the men’s team to a third-place finish in the Mid-American Conference. The men’s team totaled 622 points at the 2020 MAC Championships, which was its most since joining the conference in 2009. The Salukis set nine school records and one conference record during the 2019-20 season. Additionally, five individuals earned specialty conference awards and 17 were all-conference selections.

The Salukis have combined for a 33-13 dual-meet record in Hanson’s first three seasons as well as sweeping the SIU Invitational in 2019 and the A3 Performance Invitational in 2021.

Hanson led the men’s team to its highest MAC Championship finish in program history. The Salukis finished the meet in second place with 727 points while also setting another program-record with nine athletes receiving All-MAC honors.

Prior to Southern, Hanson has 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, which includes three seasons as head coach at Division II Colorado Mesa (2017-19) and two years as head coach at Western State Colorado (2015-16). He was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year on both the men's and women's sides in 2019 and won the award five times in the last five seasons.

Colorado Mesa set school records for the highest finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships in both 2018 and 2019. The Mavericks finished a school-best 11th on the men's side and 16th on the women's side in 2019. Hanson also served as the school's triathlon squad head coach and led the program to a runner-up finish at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships in the fall of 2018 after winning the West Regional.

Before becoming a head coach, Hanson served as the associate head coach at Pac-12 Arizona for two years and was an assistant head coach at Big Ten Wisconsin for 10 years, after serving as an assistant coach for his first two years with the Badgers.

Hanson was the personal coach of Carly Piper, who won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and set a world record in the 4x200 freestyle relay. He also coached Alyssa Anderson, who won a gold medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay at the 2012 London Olympics. In addition to Team USA Gold Medalists Piper and Anderson, Hanson coached Clark Burckle to a berth on the 2012 US Olympic Team in the 200 Breaststroke. Burckle went on to finish 6^th at the London Games.

Most recently, Saluki swimmer Celia Pulido earned a spot on the Mexican Olympic team under Hanson and went on to finish 21^st in the 100 Backstroke at the Paris Olympic Games in July 2024.

In his 25 years of collegiate coaching, Hanson has coached five Olympic finalists and four individual NCAA National Champions and USANational Champions

Hanson swam collegiately at Arizona from 1993-96, earning All-American honorable mention accolades. He was a two-time USA Swimming National Finalist and earned the Mary Roby Academic/Athletic Achievement Award. Hanson earned All-Academic Pac-10 honors and graduated with a bachelor's degree in history with a minor in sociology. He currently resides in Carbondale with his wife, Kate and son, Scott.