CHICAGO—After serving this past season as the interim head coach, Illinois Institute of Technology has permanently named Andy Parro as both the head coach of the Scarlet Hawk swimming and diving teams and the department’s aquatics director.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue working with the student-athletes here at Illinois Tech,” said Parro. “The swimming and diving program is a part of an outstanding experience both in and out of the classroom that I am honored to lead. I am excited to see our ambitious and passionate individuals continue to grow as a team.”
Under Parro’s guidance this past season, the Scarlet Hawks did not skip a beat. Illinois Tech’s men’s team placed second out of eight teams in the Liberal Arts Championships, landing seven individuals on the conference’s All-Championship team. On the women’s side, the Scarlet Hawks earned a third-place finish out of 11 squads, placed five on the All-Championship team, and set two pool records (both by Megan Burrill) and one school record (Kristin Wills in the 200 Yard Individual Medley) at the LAC meet.
“Andy Parro came in with short notice to do a really good job as our interim coach this past year,” said Director of Athletics Joe Hakes. “He established a good relationship with the team and is a strong technical coach. In addition, he has a ton of good contacts around the city of Chicago’s swimming landscape, which will reap benefits in recruiting.”
Parro also had experience that reaches well beyond Illinois Tech. After a strong four-year career as a swimmer at NCAA Division I University of Illinois-Chicago, Parro was aquatics director and head swimming and diving coach at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago from 2009–2018. During his tenure as head coach of the Dolphins, his teams won six Chicago Public League Conference Championships. He was named the IHSA’s Sectional Coach of the Year in 2017.
In addition, Parro founded and served as head coach of Six Point Aquatics in Chicago, was aquatics director and head swim coach at the Lake Forest Club in Lake Forest, and also was Chicago’s Lake Shore Sports and Fitness’ aquatics director.