Victor Wales has been the head coach of both the men's and women's swimming teams since 2005. In the 2014-15 season, under Wales’ leadership, the Rainbow Wahine brought home the University of Hawai`i’s first ever Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship title across any sport or gender. Wrapping up a momentous year, the women’s team swept the MSPF major awards with Wales being named MPSF Women’s Coach of the Year for the fourth conference coaching honor of his career.
Following a successful 2014-15 MPSF run, Wales guided Jasmine Alkhaldi all the way to the Women’s NCAA Championships, UH’s first female swimmer to compete at the national championships since 2011. In addition to the Rainbow Wahine’s successful season, the men’s team finished third in the MPSF with five individual event swimming champions and two relay gold medals.
In the 2005-06 campaign, Wales came aboard just as the season got underway and made an immediate impact directing the Rainbow Wahine squad to its first-ever Western Athletic Conference title, edging Nevada by 48.5 points. Wales’ accomplishments that first season did not go unnoticed as he was named the WAC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year.
In Wales first season at UH, the men and women fared well at the 2006 NCAA Championships, sending seven (five female, two male) athletes. The Rainbow Wahine scored its highest total in the history of the program at the 2006 NCAAs amassing 90 points and finishing in 15th place. The Rainbow Warriors tied for 30th with 16 points.
In 2006-07, the women had another strong season posting an 8-3 dual meet record and went on to a second-place showing at the WAC Championship. UH produced 12 conference champions in 2007 and placed 27th at the NCAA Championship. On the way, three new school records were set and nine new UH Top 10 marks established. However, depth hurt the Rainbow Wahine at the conference championship.
In 2010-11, Wales had another effective year. Following a first-place finish by the men at the Conference-USA Championships, Wales was named C-USA Coach of the Year for his second consecutive season with Luca Mazzurana headlining as Swimmer of the Year. With the women also taking third at the WAC Championships, Wales led Mazzurana and Taylor Ritenberg to an NCAA Championship appearance.
In the 2013-14 season, Wales led the Rainbow Warriors to a successful run in the MPSF championships where Victor Goicoechea was named Swimmer of the Year and Wales received Coach of the Year honors. The team finished second in the team standings.
Before UH, Wales spent four years at the helm of the San Jose State women’s swimming program. Wales was named the women’s swimming head coach on April 24, 2002, after serving as interim head coach in 2001-02. While with the Spartans, his athletes broke 17 school records and produced 15 all-WAC academic selections.
Wales came to San Jose State from Arizona State, where he was the head assistant men and women’s swimming coach from 1998-2001. During his tenure in Tempe, Ariz., he coached five school record holders, four All-Americans, five Olympic Trials qualifiers, and three Olympians.
Before ASU, Wales was the associate head men and women’s swimming coach at his alma mater, UC Santa Barbara, over two different periods - 1992-96 and again from 1997-98. In his final season, he tutored two school record holders, two All-Americans, four Olympic Trials qualifiers, and a future 2000 Olympian. In between the two stints at UCSB, he spent the 1996-97 season at the University of Illinois as the head assistant women’s swimming coach.
Wales earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara in 1992. As a swimmer for the Gauchos, he was a four-year member and two-time captain of the swim team from 1988-92. A 10-time Big West Conference champion and 1990 NCAA Division I All-American. Wales qualified for the Olympic Trials in both 1988 and 1992.
Wales and his wife, Miniver, have a son, Ethan, and two daughters, Chloe and Lily.
Men
Year Conference Finish Postseason Entries
2006 Conference-USA 3rd NCAA’s 1
2007 Conference-USA 2nd -- --
2008 Conference-USA 2nd -- --
2009 Conference-USA 2nd -- --
2010 Conference-USA 2nd -- --
2011 Conference-USA 1st NCAA’s 1
2012 MPSF 4th -- --
2013 MPSF 5th -- --
2014 MPSF 2nd NCAA’s 2
2015 MPSF 3rd -- --
Women
Year Conference Finish Postseason Entries
2006 WAC 1st NCAA’s 2
2007 WAC 2nd NCAA’s 1
2008 WAC 3rd -- --
2009 WAC 5th -- --
2010 WAC 6th -- --
2011 WAC 2nd NCAA’s 1
2012 MPSF 3rd -- --
2013 MPSF 3rd -- --
2014 MPSF 4th -- --
2015 MPSF 1st NCAA’s 1
Coaching Highlights
2015 MPSF Women’s Coach of the Year
2011 Conference-USA Men’s Coach of the Year
2010 Conference-USA Men’s Coach of the Year
2006 WAC Women’s Coach of the Year
