Jake Tapp, a former Olympian and world-record holder, joined Northwestern after serving as an assistant coach at Wisconsin for two seasons.
During his time in Madison, Tapp helped guide the women's program to a pair of top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships, while assisting the men's side to a top-20 finish in 2017. Last season, the Wisconsin women placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships with five Big Ten records and a pair of individual champions. The Badgers had three All-American performances and three Honorable Mention All-American honorees at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
In his first season on the UW coaching staff, Tapp helped both the Badgers men and women to impressive finishes. The Wisconsin women took third place at the 2017 Big Ten Championships for their best conference showing since 2005, while the men claimed fifth place to secure a third-consecutive top-five Big Ten finish — a feat the program had not achieved since doing so from 1999 to 2004.
Tapp joined the Badgers after spending the 2015-16 season as an assistant at New Mexico, including a stint as interim head coach of the Lobos, who sponsor only women's swimming and diving. Prior to that, Tapp spent two seasons as an assistant at IUPUI as he transitioned into the coaching ranks.
A native of Langley, British Columbia, Tapp enjoyed a successful career on the international stage, highlighted by representing his native Canada in the 100-meter backstroke and 400-meter medley at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Tapp was part of a Canadian quartet that broke the short-course world record in the 400 medley relay in 2009 and still holds national records in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke.
Tapp competed collegiately at Arizona, where he helped the Wildcats claim the NCAA team title in 2008. Individually, Tapp twice finished as NCAA runner-up, taking second in the 200-yard backstroke as a junior in 2009 and in the 100-yard backstroke as a senior in 2010.
A team captain for the Wildcats as a senior, Tapp finished his collegiate career with 13 All-America honors and still holds Arizona's school record in the 200 backstroke, at 1:38.67. He graduated with a degree in business administration.
During his time in Madison, Tapp helped guide the women's program to a pair of top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships, while assisting the men's side to a top-20 finish in 2017. Last season, the Wisconsin women placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships with five Big Ten records and a pair of individual champions. The Badgers had three All-American performances and three Honorable Mention All-American honorees at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
In his first season on the UW coaching staff, Tapp helped both the Badgers men and women to impressive finishes. The Wisconsin women took third place at the 2017 Big Ten Championships for their best conference showing since 2005, while the men claimed fifth place to secure a third-consecutive top-five Big Ten finish — a feat the program had not achieved since doing so from 1999 to 2004.
Tapp joined the Badgers after spending the 2015-16 season as an assistant at New Mexico, including a stint as interim head coach of the Lobos, who sponsor only women's swimming and diving. Prior to that, Tapp spent two seasons as an assistant at IUPUI as he transitioned into the coaching ranks.
A native of Langley, British Columbia, Tapp enjoyed a successful career on the international stage, highlighted by representing his native Canada in the 100-meter backstroke and 400-meter medley at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Tapp was part of a Canadian quartet that broke the short-course world record in the 400 medley relay in 2009 and still holds national records in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke.
Tapp competed collegiately at Arizona, where he helped the Wildcats claim the NCAA team title in 2008. Individually, Tapp twice finished as NCAA runner-up, taking second in the 200-yard backstroke as a junior in 2009 and in the 100-yard backstroke as a senior in 2010.
A team captain for the Wildcats as a senior, Tapp finished his collegiate career with 13 All-America honors and still holds Arizona's school record in the 200 backstroke, at 1:38.67. He graduated with a degree in business administration.