Wolverines Announce Addition of Patnode as Assistant Coach
6/1/2026 2:56:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan swimming and diving head coach Matt Bowe announced the hiring of Kyle Patnode as an assistant coach for the swimming program on Monday (June 1).
Patnode joins the Wolverines after four seasons as the assistant coach at Illinois. Patnode led the Fighting Illini to several school records and multiple top-10 program times. Before joining Illinois, Patnode spent the 2021-22 season in Columbia, S.C., as an assistant coach at South Carolina and as a volunteer assistant for Ohio State in 2020-21. During his year in Columbus, the Buckeyes captured the Big Ten championship and placed seventh at the NCAA Championships.
"We are thrilled to welcome Kyle Patnode to our staff," said Bowe. "Kyle is an incredibly creative young coach who brings valuable experience from both the SEC and the Big Ten, as well as a unique background in both swim coaching and strength and conditioning. One of Kyle's greatest strengths is his ability to build meaningful relationships with student-athletes, and that will be a tremendous asset to our program. His energy, versatility, and commitment to athlete development make him a perfect fit for our staff, and we're excited about the impact he will have on our team moving forward.
"Joining the Wolverine family is an incredible honor, and I am deeply grateful to the leadership at the University of Michigan for this opportunity," said Patnode. "Looking back at the journey that brought me here, I feel immensely blessed by the mentors, athletes, and colleagues who have supported my growth. There is a legendary tradition of excellence in Ann Arbor, and what excites me most is the road ahead. The opportunity to pour into these student-athletes, challenge the program to reach new heights, and continue to build a championship culture together. Go Blue."
Patnode also brings extensive strength and conditioning experience, having worked with the women's swimming and diving program at South Carolina and served as a volunteer assistant at Iowa and Ohio State.
A four-year swimmer at Iowa from 2013-17, Patnode earned the Jim Marshall Award, presented annually to the senior men's swimmer who has made the most significant contributions to the program.
Patnode earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in health and human physiology (exercise science emphasis) with a minor in human relations.
