Jonny Simoes enters his third season with Oakland University after two successful years under head coach Mitch Alters. During this time, the Golden Grizzlies have continued their dominance in the Horizon League, with the men winning their 46th and 47th consecutive titles and the women capturing their 30th and 31st straight championships.
In the 2024–25 season, Simoes helped guide the team to another championship sweep and a series of standout performances. Junior Harry Nicholson was named Men's Swimmer of the Meet after contributing to three Horizon League relay records. He teamed up with Chris Palvadre, Sofus Balladone, and Charlie Brown to break league records in both the 200 and 400 medley relays. Nicholson also helped lead the 200 freestyle relay—alongside Micah Scheffer, Jack Wike, and Brown—to a new conference record. On the women’s side, freshman Grace Albrecht was named Women’s Freshman of the Meet. The team broke 3 Horizon League records, 6 school records, and posted dozens of lifetime bests.
In the 2023–24 season, Simoes played a role in developing both individual and relay success across the roster. Junior Jordyn Shipps won three individual Horizon League titles and set school records in the 100 and 200 butterfly, breaking the league record in the 100 fly. Freshman Clarissa Bezuidenhout was named Newcomer of the Year after winning the 100 and 200 backstroke. On the men’s side, senior Jack Wike broke both the Horizon League and Oakland records in the 200 IM and was part of the record-setting 200 freestyle relay with Micah Scheffer, Charlie Brown, and Christian Bart. The men also set a school record in the 200 medley relay with Harry Nicholson, Bart, Colin Martin, and Brown. The team totaled 3 Horizon League records, 7 school records, 26 NCAA B cuts, and over 150 lifetime best swims across this season.
Simoes was hired as Assistant Coach in August 2023 after graduating from John Carroll University with a degree in Accounting. As a student-athlete at JCU, he was a Division III All-American in the 200 Backstroke and 400 IM and a CSCAA Scholar All-American in 2021.
While pursuing his undergraduate degree, Simoes coached with Seneca Valley Swim Club and spent his summers on deck at Stanford and NC State swim camps, working alongside some of the top coaches in collegiate swimming.
Simoes is currently in his first year of the Ph.D. program in Human Movement Science at Oakland University, after completing his Master’s in Exercise Science in spring 2025. His research focuses on the use of novel force sensor technology in swimming to analyze performance and deliver real-time feedback to athletes. Â
