Bio

Jimi Kiner was named the head men's swimming coach prior to the 2016-17 season and later took the reigns of the women's program for in the 2018-19 season. He previously served 14 years as an assistant coach with the UT swimming program following a storied career in the pool for the Spartans. Kiner was previously promoted to associate head coach in 2016.

Kiner made history in 2024 as he led the Spartans to the men's national championship, marking the first in program history. He also guided the women's team to a seventh place finish, marking the sixth straight top-10 NCAA Championships finish. In all, the Spartans totaled 11 men's All-Americans and 10 on the women's side. Additionally, Santiago Corredor was named the Sunshine State Conference Swimmer of the Year and the SSC Athlete of the Year, which spans all sports. UT also had four individuals capture national titles at the NCAA Championships.

The 2023 campaign for both the men’s and the women’s swim teams was one for the books. The men were crowned the SSC Champions for just the second time in program history and set eleven meet records and six conference records the way to earning the title. The men then swept the SSC swimming awards with Santiago Corredor winning Swimmer of the Year, Barnabas Fluck earning Freshman of the Year, and Coach Kiner being honored as Coach of the Year. 

The Spartan women also did their part and placed second in the SSC Championship. They broke two NCAA Division II records, set eight meet records and bested four four conference records along the way. Sierra Gillan was named to the first-team All-SSC, while teammates Mady Barnes and Tilde Morin were both named to the second team.

Both teams also saw success at the 2023 NCAA Division II Swimming Championships finishing in the top ten. The men placed fourth, their best finish since 2002, and the women placed tenth, a continuation of their top ten appearances for five consecutive seasons. Both the men’s and women’s teams set school records in the 800 Free Relay, with several swimmers achieving All-American status during the championships with their performances. Santiago Corredor won the 400 IM and became the first individual national champion at UT since 2009, and the 12th in UT program history. 

During the 2019-2020 season, Kiner led the men’s team to their first Sunshine State Conference Championship in program history. Under Kiner's leadership, eight swimmers and five relay teams earned passage to the NCAA championship, six men were named to All-SSC teams, and Tampa's program claimed its first Swimmer of the Meet and Swimmer of the Year honors. This season UT captured the conference's top time in 12 events, broke four SSC meet records, and tallied an overall league record. Kiner became the first UT coach to win the SSC Coach of the Year award in men's swimming.

Kiner has coached several swimmers to national recognition, as he has coached a total of 15 national championship finishers and 133 All-Americans. Among those who he coached to national championships were seven men's individuals and relay teams and eight from the women's side.

As an assistant at UT, Kiner helped lead the Spartans to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of his 12 years. Among those appearances, he placed five men's teams and four women's teams in the national top-10. He was also instrumental in the women's fourth-place finish in 2012, marking the program's best finish in 24 years.

• SSC Championships (1): 2019

• All-Americans (48): Molly O'Hara - 2019, 2020; Hana van Loock - 2019, 2020, 2021; Megan Waddell - 2019; Elizaveta Bazarova - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; Maureen Moore - 2019, 2020; Courtney Sherwood - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; McKenzie Street - 2019; Julia Augustsson - 2020, 2021; Megan Goldthorpe - 2020, 2022; Madysen Barnes - 2021, 2023; Lindsey Grater - 2020, 2021; Johanna Koether - 2021; Anja Oca - 2020; Carlee Sanchez-Hegarty - 2020; Jessie Tobin - 2020, 2021; Sierra Gillan - 2022, 2024; Roma Vrijhof - 2022, 2023, 2024; Emma Chestang - 2022, 2023; Emily Van De Wiele - 2023; Tilde Morin - 2023, 2024; Sophia Frece - 2023; Madysen Barnes - 2024; Cameron Dukat - 2024; Laura Hodgson - 2024; Lindsey Louder - 2024; Kim McCaffrey - 2024; Sydni Meister - 2024; Isabelle Sering - 2024

• Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year (1): 2018-19

Kiner was a national champion in the 100 Breaststroke for Tampa in 2001 and holds the school record in that event. During his career with the Spartans, he was a four-time All-American in 18 total events, a two-time national runner-up, and a four-year letterwinner. In 2000, Kiner was an Olympic Trials Qualifier.

He was inducted into the UT Athletics Hall of Fame on October 16, 2014 as one of the greatest swimmers in program history.

Kiner has been the head coach of the Greater Tampa Swimming Association since 2001 and has mentored numerous top ten national swimmers and high school state finalists.

A Tinley Park, Ill., native, Kiner currently resides in Tampa.