Bruce Zimmerman
Bruce Zimmerman
Title: Head Swimming & Diving Coach
Phone: 989.964.2451
Email: bazimmer@svsu.edu
Previous College: Bradley (1981)

Bruce Zimmerman is in his sixth season as the Head Coach of the SVSU Swimming & Diving programs in 2019-20. This season marks the sixth season for the women's program and fifth for the men. 

In 2018-19, the Women finished fourth once again at the GLIAC Championships with 383 points while the Men were sixth after scoring 220 points. There were two student-athletes who advanced to compete at the NCAA Division II Championships and Libby Caird finished 15th in the one-meter dive event to earn Honorable Mention All-American honors. There were five student-athletes who earned CSCAA Scholar All-America honors and 23 student-athletes were named to the GLIAC All-Academic teams. 

During the 2017-18 campaign, the Cardinals finished fourth at the GLIAC Championships on both sides. The Women tallied 536 points in the meet and the Men had a total of 358 points. Wilhelmina Francisco was named the GLIAC Female Diver of the Year after claiming the league title in the three-meter dive and runner-up honors in the one-meter event. Rebeca Martinez (400 IM) and Melanie Soenksen (50 Free) claimed league titles for the Cards as well at the championships. Both teams earned CSCAA Scholar All-America Team honors and five individuals were honored with CSCAA Scholar All-America plaudits. Five student-athletes advanced to take part in the NCAA Division II Championships and three others participated in the NCAA Dive-in Meet. The 200 Medley Relay Team earned honorable mention All-American honors after a 15th place finish at the national meet. There were 21 student-athletes named GLIAC All-Academic as well. 

In 2016-17, the teams continued to advance under Zimmerman, at both at the conference and NCAA meets.  The teams both finished 4th at the GLIAC Championship, with the women totaling 438 points and the men 354.  Cumulatively, the teams notched 26 new program records, 79 personal best times, 24 NCAA “B” times and the program’s first ever GLIAC Champion. Five individual swimmers and four relay teams qualified to compete at the Division II NCAA Championship meet, where they raced to 25th place with 32 points (including one top 8 finish and 3 top 16 finishes).  The season concluded with four athletes earning CSCAA Scholar All-America honors, one earning Scholar All-America Honorable Mention, and nineteen athletes were recognized by the GLIAC for academic excellence. 

The 2015-2016 season was the first for the Men’s Swimming and Diving team, and together with the Women they saw a season record of 7 Wins, 2 Losses. The team advanced to the GLIAC Championships where the women finished an impressive 4th with a tally of 388.5 points, and the men 6th with 293.5 points. Zimmerman coached 3 swimmers to the NCAA Championship Meet, where two earned Honorable Mention All-America honors with their 15th and 13th place finishes.  The third placed top 30 in the country in 3 events, and the team garnered 37th place at the end of the competition. In addition, the team received academic honors from both the GLIAC and the CSCAA for excellence in the classroom and in the pool. 

The inaugural Lady Cardinals’ season was a success in 2014-2015, with a team of 3 divers and 9 swimmers.  Zimmerman coached the team to a regular season record of 7 Wins, 3 Losses, and they finished off the season at the GLIAC Championship Meet with a total of 224 points, which was good for 8th place. One swimmer advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships, where she placed 20th in the nation in two events.

Zimmerman comes to Saginaw Valley from Division I College of Charleston, where he served in the capacity of Head Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving Coach and Aquatic Director since September of 1999.

During his 14-year tenure at Charleston, the Cougars set and broke more than 186 men's and women's school records.  Zimmerman led the program to five conference championships while at the helm.  Once female and two male swimmers posted NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championship qualifying time standards under Zimmerman's direction, the first such feats in the program's history.

Academically, Zimmerman's programs ranked as some of the strongest of the 21 varsity athletic programs at the College of Charleston.  During the past 14 years, his women's program posted a 100% graduation rate and the men's program achieved a 97% mark.  Additionally, both teams maintained above a 3.0 collective team GPA over the same span.

Prior to his appointment at the College of Charleston, Zimmerman spent nine years as the Assistant Men's Swimming & Diving Coach at Indiana University, a program known for its supremacy in the realm of Swimming & Diving.