Herbie Behm

Herbie Behm is the head coach of the Arizona State University (ASU) Swimming and Diving team. He’s a Sun Devil alum who swam for the program from 2010 to 2013, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Communication. Behm took over as head coach in April 2024 after the departure of Bob Bowman, who left for the University of Texas following ASU’s first-ever NCAA men’s swimming championship win that year. Before stepping into the top role, Behm served as the associate head coach starting in 2022 and had been an assistant coach at ASU since 2018, playing a key part in building the team into a national powerhouse. He’s known for his work with the sprint group, coaching athletes like Léon Marchand, Jonny Kulow, and Ilya Kharun to multiple NCAA titles and record-breaking performances. Before returning to ASU, Behm coached at the University of Utah as an assistant sprints coach for two seasons and worked with the Phoenix Swim Club. His coaching philosophy leans heavily on individuality, data-driven training, and fostering a team culture aimed at personal and collective growth. He’s been praised as a rising star in the swimming world, with Bowman himself calling him “the brightest young coach in America.” Behm’s journey from a swimmer at ASU during a tough period—when the program nearly got cut—to leading it as head coach after a national title is a pretty remarkable arc.