A 1994 Grove City College graduate, Dave Fritz recently completed his 23rd season as Grove City College’s head men’s swimming and diving coach and his 15th season as Grove City's head women's swimming and diving coach.
Under his direction, Grove City's programs have returned to the national spotlight as one of the nation’s premier small-college programs.
Grove City's women's swimming and diving team has captured the Presidents' Athletic Conference title in 15 of Fritz's 16 seasons, while the men's program has won seven straight league crowns. Grove City swept the Presidents' Athletic Conference titles on both the men's and women's sides in each of the last six seasons.
In 2025, Caleb Einolf captured NCAA Division III All-America honors in both the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly at the national championships in Greensboro, N.C. Einolf became the 60th men's swimming and diving All-American in program history, including the 16th under Fritz's guidance.
In 2023, Einolf earned the PAC Most Valuable Performer award while classmate Will Sterrett captured the men's swimming and diving Rookie of the Year honor. Senior Rachael Wallace secured the women's MVP award while sophomore diver Kamryn Kerr earned PAC Diver of the Year.
Wallace then advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships in the butterfly events in 2024 after repeating as conference MVP. Einolf also repeated as men's MVP while freshman Owen Hancock captured the Newcomer of the Year award in men's swimming and diving.
In 2018, then-sophomore Anne Shirley Dassow won the NCAA Division III title in the 200 butterfly, becoming the third national champion under Fritz's guidance.
In 2007, two Grove City swimmers earned NCAA Division III championships as Tim Whitbeck won the national title in the 50 free and Caleb Courage repeated as national champion in the 100 free.
Two years later, 11 Grove City swimmers earned NCAA Division III All-America distinction as the Wolverines placed sixth in the team standings at the NCAA Championships. During the 2008-09 regular season, Grove City went 12-2 overall and won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title for the second straight season.
In 2010, Fritz guided Grove City to an 11-2 overall record and a third straight conference title. Eight Wolverine swimmers qualified for the NCAA Championships. Fourteen men’s swimmers have earned NCAA All-America honors during his tenure as head coach. In 2006, Courage became Grove City’s first men’s swimmer to earn a national title.
Twelve Grove City women's swimmers have earned NCAA All-America honors under Fritz's guidance, including a pair of top-seven finishes in the butterfly events by then-freshman Dassow at the 2017 NCAA Division III Championships in Shenandoah, Texas.
Fritz spent eight seasons as head coach of Grove City’s women’s water polo squad. In the spring of 2002, Fritz directed the women’s team to a 7-11 mark after taking over on an interim basis. In 2007, Fritz led the women’s water polo team to a program-record 18 victories and a fifth-place finish at the Collegiate III National Championships.
In 2008, Fritz guided Grove City to a fifth-place finish at the Collegiate III Championships in New London, Conn., as the Wolverines finished 13-12 overall. Six Grove City water polo players earned All-America honors under his guidance.
Fritz is past chairman of the prestigious NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee.
Fritz is a member of the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) and has been awarded the ASCA’s Certificate of Excellence seven times. He has also earned Level Four certification from the ASCA.
He owns master’s degrees from both Duquesne University and Slippery Rock University. Fritz lives in Slippery Rock with his two daughters and two sons.
