Swim Welcomes Matthew Harder to Coaching Employees

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Swim program and Head Coach Jax Rosen are excited to welcome Matthew Harder as assistant coach for Men’s and Women’s Swim groups.

Harder involves UC Santa Barbara with a decade of expertise as a coach, trainer, and supervisor throughout USA Swimming Club, IHSA, and NCAA ranges, teaching athletes to nationwide groups and thru Olympic trials. 

He most lately served as an assistant coach on the University of Chicago the place he helped lead each Men’s and Women’s Swim to Top-10 Team Finishes on the 2024 and 2025 NCAA Division III National Championships. He additionally coached the boys’s relay groups to nationwide titles within the 200, 400 and 800 Freestyle Relays on the 2025 NCAA Division III National Championships, with the 800 Free tying the nationwide document.

While in Chicago, Harder additionally served as Head Coach for RISE Aquatic Club, which he co-founded in 2022. He guided RISE to turn out to be a Bronze Medal Club inside USA Swimming Club Excellence and produced 16 Winter Junior National Qualifiers, 7 Summer Junior National Qualifiers, two Junior National Finalists and seven US Open Qualifiers.

Harder earned his Bachelor of Science in Ok-12 Physical Education from Concordia University Chicago with a minor in Sports Psychology. 

He will be a part of the reigning Big West Champions for each Men’s and Women’s Swim. The 2025-26 season is about to kick off in October.