Lehigh University Athletics
Women's Swimming and Diving
Rob Herb
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- rah7@lehigh.edu
- Phone:
- 610-758-4309
Rob Herb enters his 22nd season at the helm of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs in 2025-26. Herb, the three-time Patriot League Women’s Coach of the Year, owns a combined dual meet record of 176-168. He has coached 15 individuals and three relay teams to Patriot League titles, including Courtney Patterson, who became Lehigh’s first female individual league champion in 11 years in 2014, Kaitlyn Ruffing, who captured individual league titles in each of her first two seasons of 2014 and 2015, Meghan Thompson, who capped her career with titles in her final two seasons, Megan Fennell, who became the program's first female diving champion in 2018, Ann Foley, who captured a gold medal in the 100-yard free in 2022 and Sarah Hardy 23, '24G, who became the first swimmer under Herb to win two gold medals at the Patriot League Championships. Justin White became the men's first champion in nearly a decade when he claimed the 100 free crown in 2017.
Herb also leads his teams to excellence in the classroom during his time leading the program. Patriot League Champion Dan Johnson who was named the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Men’s Swimming and Diving in 2008 and 2009. Herb’s Lehigh teams are consistently lauded by the CSCAA for their academic prowess. Ruffing (2015), Thompson (2018) and Rachel Rider (2018) have all achieved CSCAA Scholar All-America honors during Herb's tenure.
The 2015-16 season marked a significant milestone for the Mountain Hawks swim program as four swimmers – Kaitlyn Ruffing, Jacob Moyar, Justin White and Jamal Willis – all qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, marking the first time since 1968 and 1956 that Lehigh qualified swimmers for the premier event. As a team, Herb helped lead the Mountain Hawk women to a 7-2 overall record, while the men finished 5-5. Each team tallied a 3-2 mark in Patriot League competition. At the Patriot League Championships, the two teams combined to set 14 new school records and hit four NCAA B-cut times. Eight Lehigh swimmers were named All-Patriot League, while Ruffing earned Academic All-League honors.
Building on the previous year’s success, the Mountain Hawks continued to improve in 2014-15. Lehigh swept Lafayette for the seventh consecutive year, with these wins coming at a historic neutral-site meeting at Lehman College in New York. Both the men and women finished with six dual meet wins and winning dual meet records. Lehigh’s women challenged for a top three spot before finishing fourth at the Patriot League Championships, while the men finished fifth. Kaitlyn Ruffing won gold in the 50 yard freestyle for her second individual title. The Mountain Hawks set 11 new school records at the Patriot League Championships, including all five women’s relays. Lehigh placed ten student-athletes on All-Patriot League teams.
Herb led the Mountain Hawks to a successful dual meet season in 2013-14. The Lehigh women finished 7-2 while the men went 6-4. Both Lehigh teams finished fifth at the Patriot League Championships with 20 new school records established over the four day meet. Sophomore Courtney Patterson became Lehigh’s first individual women’s league champion since 2003 with her win in the 400 yard individual medley and Kaitlyn Ruffing later won the 100 yard freestyle to give Lehigh two gold medals at a league championship meet for the first time since the Mountain Hawks won three golds in 2005. Seven Mountain Hawks were named to All-Patriot League teams.
The 2012-13 season saw Lehigh’s men finish fourth at the Patriot League Championships, while the women finished fifth. The highlight of the dual meet season was Lehigh’s fifth straight sweep of arch rival Lafayette. A total of five Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League honors, with freshmen Carolyn Koch (first team) and Courtney Patterson pacing the women, and Chris Hoke (first team), Demetri Karedis and Danny Bennett leading the men. Lehigh’s 200 yard free relay team consisting of Frank Cuzzola, Matt Chrzanowski, Karedis and Hoke, brought home the Mountain Hawks’ first Patriot League gold in five years.
In 2011-12, Lehigh’s men won their first seven meets to finish at 7-4, while the women finished at 4-7. The Mountain Hawks swept rival Lafayette in the pool for the fourth consecutive season. Herb guided the Mountain Hawk men to another fourth place finish at the Patriot League Championships, while the women finished fifth. Lehigh had an impressive seven All-Patriot League selections, including freshman Alissa Leung, who became the first Lehigh female swimmer since 2007 to earn first-team All-League honors.
In Herb’s eighth season he guided both the men’s and women’s programs to successful campaigns. The Mountain Hawk men were 8-2 in dual meets and placed fourth at the Patriot League Championships, while the women went 4-4. Lehigh swept Lafayette in the annual dual meet for the third straight year. Andrew DiPietro led the way for the Mountain Hawks earning All-Patriot League laurels for his performance at the league championships, in addition to earning Academic All-Patriot League honors.
The 2009-10 season saw Lehigh’s men’s team post a remarkable 9-1 record, while the women finished at 5-4. For the second straight year and the third time in six seasons, the Mountain Hawks swept arch rival Lafayette. At the Patriot League Championships, Herb led both teams to fourth place finishes, while 11 new school records were established.
In 2009, Herb guided both Mountain Hawk squads to 6-5 dual seasons that was highlighted by a sweep of arch rival Lafayette, Lehigh’s second sweep of the Leopards in five meets under Herb. At the Patriot League Championships, an incredible 13 school records fell, as Lehigh’s men swam to a fourth place team finish, while the women finished sixth.
In his first season, Herb guided both Lehigh teams to top-five finishes at the Patriot League Championships and saw his swimmers capture three Patriot League titles. In 2006, one of Herb’s top men’s swimmers, Grant Flothmeier, captured an individual league title and was named to the ESPN the Magazine at-large Academic All-District II second team.
Herb is no stranger to Lehigh’s Jacobs Pool. He has served as part of the Mountain Hawks staff for over a decade, initially as a member of the swimming staff under Chris Marshall, and more recently in a part-time administrative role as Aquatics Director. His primary professional commitment has been Director and Head Coach of the very successful Atlantis Club Swimming program, a long time lessee of Lehigh pool space. Herb has worked with Atlantis since 1994, when he created the club. He is four-time honoree of the American Swim Coaches Association, capturing their Coach of Excellence honor in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.
For five years beginning in 2000, Herb served as a member of the U.S. National Swimming Team advisory staff and regionally on the Middle Atlantic Swimming board of review. He was head coach of the 2002 U.S. National Select Training Camp, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he worked directly with many of the top American swimmers and their coaches.
Herb graduated from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., in 1990 with a bachelor’s in chemistry. He then earned his master’s in education from Lehigh in 1994. He resides in Center Valley with his wife, Alexandra and daughters, Gisella and Chiara.
Herb also leads his teams to excellence in the classroom during his time leading the program. Patriot League Champion Dan Johnson who was named the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Men’s Swimming and Diving in 2008 and 2009. Herb’s Lehigh teams are consistently lauded by the CSCAA for their academic prowess. Ruffing (2015), Thompson (2018) and Rachel Rider (2018) have all achieved CSCAA Scholar All-America honors during Herb's tenure.
The 2015-16 season marked a significant milestone for the Mountain Hawks swim program as four swimmers – Kaitlyn Ruffing, Jacob Moyar, Justin White and Jamal Willis – all qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, marking the first time since 1968 and 1956 that Lehigh qualified swimmers for the premier event. As a team, Herb helped lead the Mountain Hawk women to a 7-2 overall record, while the men finished 5-5. Each team tallied a 3-2 mark in Patriot League competition. At the Patriot League Championships, the two teams combined to set 14 new school records and hit four NCAA B-cut times. Eight Lehigh swimmers were named All-Patriot League, while Ruffing earned Academic All-League honors.
Building on the previous year’s success, the Mountain Hawks continued to improve in 2014-15. Lehigh swept Lafayette for the seventh consecutive year, with these wins coming at a historic neutral-site meeting at Lehman College in New York. Both the men and women finished with six dual meet wins and winning dual meet records. Lehigh’s women challenged for a top three spot before finishing fourth at the Patriot League Championships, while the men finished fifth. Kaitlyn Ruffing won gold in the 50 yard freestyle for her second individual title. The Mountain Hawks set 11 new school records at the Patriot League Championships, including all five women’s relays. Lehigh placed ten student-athletes on All-Patriot League teams.
Herb led the Mountain Hawks to a successful dual meet season in 2013-14. The Lehigh women finished 7-2 while the men went 6-4. Both Lehigh teams finished fifth at the Patriot League Championships with 20 new school records established over the four day meet. Sophomore Courtney Patterson became Lehigh’s first individual women’s league champion since 2003 with her win in the 400 yard individual medley and Kaitlyn Ruffing later won the 100 yard freestyle to give Lehigh two gold medals at a league championship meet for the first time since the Mountain Hawks won three golds in 2005. Seven Mountain Hawks were named to All-Patriot League teams.
The 2012-13 season saw Lehigh’s men finish fourth at the Patriot League Championships, while the women finished fifth. The highlight of the dual meet season was Lehigh’s fifth straight sweep of arch rival Lafayette. A total of five Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League honors, with freshmen Carolyn Koch (first team) and Courtney Patterson pacing the women, and Chris Hoke (first team), Demetri Karedis and Danny Bennett leading the men. Lehigh’s 200 yard free relay team consisting of Frank Cuzzola, Matt Chrzanowski, Karedis and Hoke, brought home the Mountain Hawks’ first Patriot League gold in five years.
In 2011-12, Lehigh’s men won their first seven meets to finish at 7-4, while the women finished at 4-7. The Mountain Hawks swept rival Lafayette in the pool for the fourth consecutive season. Herb guided the Mountain Hawk men to another fourth place finish at the Patriot League Championships, while the women finished fifth. Lehigh had an impressive seven All-Patriot League selections, including freshman Alissa Leung, who became the first Lehigh female swimmer since 2007 to earn first-team All-League honors.
In Herb’s eighth season he guided both the men’s and women’s programs to successful campaigns. The Mountain Hawk men were 8-2 in dual meets and placed fourth at the Patriot League Championships, while the women went 4-4. Lehigh swept Lafayette in the annual dual meet for the third straight year. Andrew DiPietro led the way for the Mountain Hawks earning All-Patriot League laurels for his performance at the league championships, in addition to earning Academic All-Patriot League honors.
The 2009-10 season saw Lehigh’s men’s team post a remarkable 9-1 record, while the women finished at 5-4. For the second straight year and the third time in six seasons, the Mountain Hawks swept arch rival Lafayette. At the Patriot League Championships, Herb led both teams to fourth place finishes, while 11 new school records were established.
In 2009, Herb guided both Mountain Hawk squads to 6-5 dual seasons that was highlighted by a sweep of arch rival Lafayette, Lehigh’s second sweep of the Leopards in five meets under Herb. At the Patriot League Championships, an incredible 13 school records fell, as Lehigh’s men swam to a fourth place team finish, while the women finished sixth.
In his first season, Herb guided both Lehigh teams to top-five finishes at the Patriot League Championships and saw his swimmers capture three Patriot League titles. In 2006, one of Herb’s top men’s swimmers, Grant Flothmeier, captured an individual league title and was named to the ESPN the Magazine at-large Academic All-District II second team.
Herb is no stranger to Lehigh’s Jacobs Pool. He has served as part of the Mountain Hawks staff for over a decade, initially as a member of the swimming staff under Chris Marshall, and more recently in a part-time administrative role as Aquatics Director. His primary professional commitment has been Director and Head Coach of the very successful Atlantis Club Swimming program, a long time lessee of Lehigh pool space. Herb has worked with Atlantis since 1994, when he created the club. He is four-time honoree of the American Swim Coaches Association, capturing their Coach of Excellence honor in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.
For five years beginning in 2000, Herb served as a member of the U.S. National Swimming Team advisory staff and regionally on the Middle Atlantic Swimming board of review. He was head coach of the 2002 U.S. National Select Training Camp, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he worked directly with many of the top American swimmers and their coaches.
Herb graduated from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., in 1990 with a bachelor’s in chemistry. He then earned his master’s in education from Lehigh in 1994. He resides in Center Valley with his wife, Alexandra and daughters, Gisella and Chiara.
Sunday, September 13
Friday, September 11
Friday, September 11
Friday, September 04
