Shawn Markey - Swimming Head Coach - Men's Swimming & Diving Coaches

Shawn Markey

Title:
Swimming Head Coach
Email:
shawn.wynn.markey@drexel.edu
Phone:
x-2028

Shawn Markey was named head coach of the Drexel men's and women's swimming team in July of 2009 after serving as the interim swimming head coach. He also served as an assistant coach for four seasons at Drexel. He began his head coaching career with a remarkable first season that saw the Dragons shatter numerous school records at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships. In the past three years as head coach, Markey has lead the team to over 40 new school records, and has nearly re-written the Dragons’ top-five times records. In addition to athletic achievement, both men’s and women’s teams have been honored with the CSCAA Scholar All-American Award for the past three seasons, earning the highest marks for the CAA in 2012. Markey earned letters in all four years at Drexel and led the team that won the America East Championships as co-captain in 2001.

In the fall of 2011, Markey guided the men’s swim program to the best-ever record, 4-0, during his tenure at Drexel. The men finished 6-2 overall and had one swimmer, Alex Galinskiy, make the men's top 20 list at the conclusion of the 2012 CAA Championships with 38 points. Galinskiy was the 2012 CAA Champion in the 200 free. Markey also sent four Drexel Swimmers to compete in the U.S. National Championships, including Lauren Faykes who is the first Drexel women's swimmer to ever compete in the National Championship in school history. Faykes also received 2012 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Women's Swimming & Diving Performer of the Year and CAA Scholar-Athlete Award for women's swimming and diving honors.

In his first year at the helm of the Drexel program, Markey's accomplishments included multiple conference championships and new school records. T.J. Southmayd claimed the CAA Championship in the 200 IM as he established a new school record in the event. Armagan Yavuz won the 200 fly with a time that not only broke Drexel's school record, it cracked the NCAA "B" cut time. On the women's side, three new Drexel individual records were set along with a new mark in the 200 medley relay. Maria Coman took down the 100 back record, Lauren Faykes knocked off the 200 back mark and Malin Wiberg established a new benchmark in the 200 breast. The three joined Morgan Cichewicz in the 200 medley relay to topple the old school mark. As a team the men finished fifth while the women placed ninth.

Markey has had an impressive career with Drexel both as a swimmer and as an assistant coach. He was a two-time All-America East swimmer and co-captained the 2000-01 team to the America East title as a senior. In his four seasons as an assistant, Markey has seen swimmers on both the men’s and women’s side rewrite large portions of the Drexel record book. More than 30 school records have been broken while 40 new marks have been posted on the Dragons’ top-five times record sheet. Drexel swimmers have won the CAA Championships on three different occasions over the past two seasons while standout Craig Podgurski was named CAA Rookie of the Year. Markey was also instrumental in the 2009-10 recruiting class that is one of the biggest and most highly touted in recent school history.

Markey began his swimming career in Virginia swimming for the BASS and CAA club teams. Markey competed in numerous national swim meets as a prep swimmer, including the 1997 Phillips 66 National Championships held in Tennessee, multiple Junior National Championships and the Eastern Zones Spring Championships. Markey was the 50-meter freestyle champion at the Eastern Zones Spring Championships in 1995.

Shawn and his wife, Alicia (Drexel ’01), reside in Newark, Del. with their son, Aaron.