Derek Sapp has served as Seton Hall University’s head swimming and diving coach since May 2017, following four seasons as an assistant coach. Under his leadership, the Pirates have experienced one of the most successful eras in program history, both athletically and academically. Sapp guided the men’s team to a BIG EAST Championship in his first season at the helm in 2018 and was named the 2018 BIG EAST Women’s Swimming & Diving Co-Coach of the Year after leading the women to their highest-ever conference finish. In recent seasons, Seton Hall has continued to break school and conference records, capture multiple BIG EAST individual titles, and produce NCAA Championship qualifiers. The 2024-25 season featured 18 new school records and multiple BIG EAST record-breaking performances, with the men finishing second at the conference championships.
Beyond competitive success, Sapp’s programs have excelled in the classroom, earning consistent CSCAA Scholar All-America Team recognition and producing dozens of BIG EAST All-Academic honorees. Prior to his promotion, he played a key role in the Pirates’ 2017 BIG EAST Men’s Championship as an assistant coach. Before arriving in South Orange, Sapp spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at West Virginia University. A Pittsburgh native, he was a standout swimmer at Edinboro University, serving as team captain and earning multiple All-PSAC honors. Sapp holds a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Edinboro and a master’s degree in athletic coaching education from West Virginia.
