Penn State swimming & diving head coach Tim Murphy announced the addition of Priscilla Barletta to the Nittany Lions' staff as an assistant coach in summer of 2019. The 2020-21 season marks her second season with the team.
"We are excited and proud to announce that Priscilla Barletta will be joining our staff and the Penn State family," said Murphy. "Her experience, presence and vision will have an immediate impact for our student-athletes and coaching staff."
She found success in her first season, training a distance group highlighted by seven all-time top times in Penn State history and a new school record. Michael Daly led the team having three top-five finishes at the Big Ten Championship after winning silver in the 200 back, fourth in the 400 IM, and fifth in the 500 free. He also broke a school record at the meet in the 200 free with his lead-off split time in the 800 free relay. While the NCAA Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Daly qualified in the 200 back, ranking as the 16th best in the nation, and in the 400 IM.
In addition, four of her swimmers scored at the B1G Championships. Led by Stephanie Szekely who placed in the top-25, ranking 16th in the 200 back, 23rd in the 200 IM, and finishing 21st in the 400 IM.
The distance team has been successful in the classroom as well earning six Academic All Big Ten honors, three Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and three CSCAA Scholar All-American Honorable Mention accolades.
Barletta comes to Happy Valley from the Hudson Valley, as she served as an assistant coach at Army West Point for the last two seasons. She helped guide both the men's and women's teams to back-to-back, second-place finishes at the Patriot League Championships, as they posted their highest total scores in the past 16 years. The teams combined for 13 total individual Patriot League Conference Champions, 33 All-Patriot League selections and 42 team records during her tenure, and four qualified for Open Water Nationals. Additionally, 13 achieved NCAA standards this past season.
"I am extremely honored and excited to be joining the Penn State family," said Barletta. "I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Tim Murphy and the entire athletic department for giving me this opportunity. Tim and his staff have not only built a competitive program, but they have also created an environment in which student-athletes can achieve their goals both in and out of the pool. I can't wait to get on the pool deck to start working with the team and continue to strengthen the legacy of Penn State swimming & diving."
Barletta primarily coached the distance group at Army. She also served as the program's east coast recruiting lead, dryland training coordinator, assistant swim camp director and fulfilled a multitude of administrative roles.
Barletta went to West Point after spending the 2016-17 season at the University of Connecticut, where she worked primarily with the sprinters and mid-distance swimmers. In addition to her coaching duties, she was also the recruiting coordinator for the women's squad. She guided the Huskies to 16 new school records, 14 NCAA "B" cuts and mentored six American Athletic Conference individual champions during the 2016-17 season. Overall, 14 swimmers earned AAC all-conference accolades in 29 different events.
Barletta boasts extensive coaching experience at the high school and club levels, as well. She began her coaching career as the head swim coach for the Crestview Club in New Providence, New Jersey, managing a swim team program for 150 children between the ages of 5-18. In 2013, she joined the staff at New Providence High School as the head swim coach, directing the program in practices, meets and conditioning.
The New Jersey-native was tabbed as the 2016 Coach of the Year by the school. Additionally, she spent three years as the assistant swimming coach at Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge, N.J., assisting over 200 swimmers in competitive activities.
As a student-athlete, Barletta was a four-year letterwinner from 2008-12 at Lehigh. She had a decorated career earning Freshman Swimmer of the Year honors in 2009 and she held the school record in the 200 free.
Barletta graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from Lehigh in 2012 and earned her master's in exercise science and physical education from Montclair State in 2016.
