Completed Event: Men's Swimming and Diving versus Air Force on November 8, 2024 , Loss , 186, to, 167
M Swimming
vs Air Force
L 186-167
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Men's Swimming and Diving
Schaffer, Steve
Steve Schaffer
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- steve.schaffer@gcu.edu
- Alma Mater:
- UCLA (BA) and Arizona State (MS)
- Year at GCU:
- 2025-26: 18th season
Follow @gcucoach
Steve Schaffer begins his 18th season as Grand Canyon's head men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach in 2025-26.
During the 2023-24 season, the Lopes have now taken second in both the men's and women's WAC competition's for two straight years, something that had never been accomplished prior to last season. The men also took 3rd out of 36 at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship.
Schaffer lead the the Lopes to their best combined Western Athletic Conference Championship finish with both teams taking second. In his 15th season has the Lopes head coach, the men's team had 59 new top-ten program times while the women had 53 new top-ten program times. Schaffer was selected to join the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America board. Schaffer was also selected as the head coach for Kenya where two Lopes (Emily Muteti and Maria Brunlehner) compete inn Fukuoka, Japan.
Schaffer's 13th season with the Lopes was unlike any other due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Despite most of the 2020-21 season being canceled, Schaffer coached his teams to a couple of conference wins over teams like California Baptist and Dixie State. The Lopes were also able to compete against Arizona to start off the season. With each team only competing in a couple of meets, Schaffer led the men's team to a fourth-place finish and the women's team to third-place at the WAC Championships.
Schaffer also coached the first GCU pair (Talita Te Flan and Emily Muteti) to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. Muteti competed in the 50-meter freestyle for Kenya Te Flan swam in the 400-meter freestyle for Ivory Coast. He trained the duo for an entire year in preparation after the 2020 Games were canceled due to COVID-19. As the Lopes head coach, this will make three athletes that Schaffer has sent to the Olympic Games.
To complete the 2019-20 regular season, Schaffer led the men's and women's teams to a pair of third-place finishes at the 2020 WAC Championships.
The 2018-19 season saw Schaffer lead the men to their first WAC title as well as the schools first All-American first team honoree in Mark Nikolaev. Schaffer won WAC Coach of the Year for leading the men to the team title which also produced Nikolaev's third-straight WAC Swimmer of the Year Award.
To cap the 2017-18 season, Schaffer's swimmers swept the WAC Swimmers of the Year awards. Estela Davis Ortiz won for the women and Mark Nikolaev repeated as the men's winner. Schaffer coached the men's team to a third-place finish and the women's team to a fourth-place finish at the 2018 WAC Championships. GCU had 17 WAC first-place finishes -- 11 by the men and six by the women. The Lopes also broke 12 school records and seven conference records.
Seven members of the men's team qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships in the program's first year of Division I postseason eligibility. Daniil Antipov, Youssef El Kamash and Nikolaev were among the first group of student-athletes to compete individually at NCAAs, while Mazen El Kamash, Bogdan Plavin, Youssef El Kamash, Nikolaev and Antipov contributed in relay events. The men's team finished with a No. 35 national ranking, while Nikolaev was named an All-America honorable mention in the 100-yard backstroke.
In GCU's inaugural Division I campaign, Schaffer guided the men to a fourth-place finish and the women to a fifth-place finish at the 2014 WAC Swimming and Diving Championships. One GCU swimmer, Iegor Lytvenok, posted a time in the 400 individual medley that would have earned him a place in the NCAA Championships had GCU been able to attend. In addition, the GCU men took first and the women third at the College Swimming Coaches Association of America National Invitational. Schaffer was instrumental in the creation of the CSCAA National Invitational, which allows individuals who have not qualified for the NCAA Championships to compete in a postseason event.
As a follow-up in their second transitional season, GCU placed fourth again on the men's side and moved up to fourth on the women's side at the WAC Championship in 2015. Hannah Kastigar was named Women's Swimmer of the Year at the WAC Championship after winning three events. Two GCU swimmers, Lytvenok (400 IM and 200 IM) and Kastigar (400 IM), posted times that would have qualified for the NCAAs had GCU been able to attend. GCU finished the 2014-15 season with the men’s team ranked 49th in Division I by CollegeSwimming.com. The women’s team was ranked 77th in Division I.
During the 2015-16 season, the men and women had a solid improvement, earning third-place finishes in the 2016 WAC Championships.
Under Schaffer's leadership, the teams have been equally impressive in the classroom. The 2015-16 season marked the 13th straight semester that both were named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams. In addition, senior Ivan Nechunaev was one of four swimmers named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Division I At-Large team.
In the final year of Division I transition, Schaffer led his men's and women's teams to third- and fourth- place finishes, respectively, at the 2017 WAC Championships. In addition to the conference showing, Lopes swimmers earned three bronze medals at USA Swimming Winter Nationals. Mark Nikolev was named WAC Men's Swimmer of the Year as a sophomore.
Shaffer's experience also goes well beyond the collegiate ranks. He coached Eetu Karvonen as a graduate to two Masters world records in the 50 and 100 breaststroke events in 2013. His international coaching experience includes serving as head coach at the World University Games (Finland, 2013) and the FINA World Championships (Finland, 2013; Zambia, 2015). He even took his skills to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil as a member of the Zambian staff.
During those international competitions, Schaffer helped Karvonen to a semifinal appearance in the 50 breaststroke in 2013 while aiding record-setting performances two years later. In the 2015 World Championships, Shaffer's assistance helped Youssef El Kamash break two Egyptian records (50 and 100 breaststroke) while Jade Howard, who also swam under Schaffer at GCU, added two Zambian national marks (50 and 100 freestyle). Daria Talanova was the third GCU swimmer on the world stage that year, competing for Kyrgyzstan.
Schaffer became GCU swimming's second head coach in July 2008. Under his guidance, the program has made tremendous strides, highlighted by fourth-place finishes by the men at the 2011 and 2013 Division II Championships. The women’s team recorded a school-best finish of fifth place at the 2012 Division II Championships and took home two consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in their final seasons in that league.
Schaffer has won numerous awards at GCU, including being named the 2011 Division II Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year, RMAC Women’s Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013 and 2015 CSCAA National Invitational Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year.
Schaffer has directed the school’s first three individual national champions in Karvonen, a five-time Division II champion Eetu Karvonen who twice won the 100 and 200 breaststroke titles, while Mychala Lynch captured the 100 fly on two occasions. Michael Branning won the 50 free title in 2013.
Schaffer has an extensive coaching resume having made stops at some of the Valley’s elite swimming programs. He coached Desert Aquatics Club/Desert Thunder Aquatics from 1989 to 2006. In 2001, he coached DTAC’s first national finalist, backstroker Amy Wagner, who finished sixth at the USA Swimming National Championships. Schaffer was head coach for Desert Vista High School in Phoenix from 1995 to 2003. His boys teams won region titles from 1998 to 2000 and girls league championships in 1999 and 2000. He was a member of the board of directors of Arizona Swimming, Inc., from 1992 to 2003 and served as the technical planning chairman of Arizona Swimming from 1994 to 2003.
In 1993-94, Schaffer was a volunteer assistant coach at Arizona State, assisting the women’s team. Prior to ASU, he was the head coach at Tempe (Ariz.) Marcos de Niza High School. Schaffer also was the head coach of Berkshire Aquatics in Williamstown, Mass., in 1988 and 1989. There, he coached Eric McIlquham, who later won a Division II national championship and was head coach at Alabama.
Schaffer was named Arizona Interscholastic Association Class 5A Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1999. He was the region coach of the year in 1992 and from 1997 to 2001. Schaffer received the American Swimming Coaches Association Award of Excellence in 1994 and from 2010 to 2013. In 1995, he was Arizona Swimming’s Volunteer of the Year.
Prior to taking over at GCU, Schaffer worked as the Children’s Ministry Associate and Interim Children’s Pastor at Mountain Park Community Church from 2006 to 2008.
He lives in Scottsdale with his wife, Deb, and has a daughter, Kara, and two stepchildren, Dean and Angela.
Steve Schaffer begins his 18th season as Grand Canyon's head men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach in 2025-26.
During the 2023-24 season, the Lopes have now taken second in both the men's and women's WAC competition's for two straight years, something that had never been accomplished prior to last season. The men also took 3rd out of 36 at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship.
Schaffer lead the the Lopes to their best combined Western Athletic Conference Championship finish with both teams taking second. In his 15th season has the Lopes head coach, the men's team had 59 new top-ten program times while the women had 53 new top-ten program times. Schaffer was selected to join the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America board. Schaffer was also selected as the head coach for Kenya where two Lopes (Emily Muteti and Maria Brunlehner) compete inn Fukuoka, Japan.
Schaffer's 13th season with the Lopes was unlike any other due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Despite most of the 2020-21 season being canceled, Schaffer coached his teams to a couple of conference wins over teams like California Baptist and Dixie State. The Lopes were also able to compete against Arizona to start off the season. With each team only competing in a couple of meets, Schaffer led the men's team to a fourth-place finish and the women's team to third-place at the WAC Championships.
Schaffer also coached the first GCU pair (Talita Te Flan and Emily Muteti) to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. Muteti competed in the 50-meter freestyle for Kenya Te Flan swam in the 400-meter freestyle for Ivory Coast. He trained the duo for an entire year in preparation after the 2020 Games were canceled due to COVID-19. As the Lopes head coach, this will make three athletes that Schaffer has sent to the Olympic Games.
To complete the 2019-20 regular season, Schaffer led the men's and women's teams to a pair of third-place finishes at the 2020 WAC Championships.
The 2018-19 season saw Schaffer lead the men to their first WAC title as well as the schools first All-American first team honoree in Mark Nikolaev. Schaffer won WAC Coach of the Year for leading the men to the team title which also produced Nikolaev's third-straight WAC Swimmer of the Year Award.
To cap the 2017-18 season, Schaffer's swimmers swept the WAC Swimmers of the Year awards. Estela Davis Ortiz won for the women and Mark Nikolaev repeated as the men's winner. Schaffer coached the men's team to a third-place finish and the women's team to a fourth-place finish at the 2018 WAC Championships. GCU had 17 WAC first-place finishes -- 11 by the men and six by the women. The Lopes also broke 12 school records and seven conference records.
Seven members of the men's team qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships in the program's first year of Division I postseason eligibility. Daniil Antipov, Youssef El Kamash and Nikolaev were among the first group of student-athletes to compete individually at NCAAs, while Mazen El Kamash, Bogdan Plavin, Youssef El Kamash, Nikolaev and Antipov contributed in relay events. The men's team finished with a No. 35 national ranking, while Nikolaev was named an All-America honorable mention in the 100-yard backstroke.
In GCU's inaugural Division I campaign, Schaffer guided the men to a fourth-place finish and the women to a fifth-place finish at the 2014 WAC Swimming and Diving Championships. One GCU swimmer, Iegor Lytvenok, posted a time in the 400 individual medley that would have earned him a place in the NCAA Championships had GCU been able to attend. In addition, the GCU men took first and the women third at the College Swimming Coaches Association of America National Invitational. Schaffer was instrumental in the creation of the CSCAA National Invitational, which allows individuals who have not qualified for the NCAA Championships to compete in a postseason event.
As a follow-up in their second transitional season, GCU placed fourth again on the men's side and moved up to fourth on the women's side at the WAC Championship in 2015. Hannah Kastigar was named Women's Swimmer of the Year at the WAC Championship after winning three events. Two GCU swimmers, Lytvenok (400 IM and 200 IM) and Kastigar (400 IM), posted times that would have qualified for the NCAAs had GCU been able to attend. GCU finished the 2014-15 season with the men’s team ranked 49th in Division I by CollegeSwimming.com. The women’s team was ranked 77th in Division I.
During the 2015-16 season, the men and women had a solid improvement, earning third-place finishes in the 2016 WAC Championships.
Under Schaffer's leadership, the teams have been equally impressive in the classroom. The 2015-16 season marked the 13th straight semester that both were named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams. In addition, senior Ivan Nechunaev was one of four swimmers named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Division I At-Large team.
In the final year of Division I transition, Schaffer led his men's and women's teams to third- and fourth- place finishes, respectively, at the 2017 WAC Championships. In addition to the conference showing, Lopes swimmers earned three bronze medals at USA Swimming Winter Nationals. Mark Nikolev was named WAC Men's Swimmer of the Year as a sophomore.
Shaffer's experience also goes well beyond the collegiate ranks. He coached Eetu Karvonen as a graduate to two Masters world records in the 50 and 100 breaststroke events in 2013. His international coaching experience includes serving as head coach at the World University Games (Finland, 2013) and the FINA World Championships (Finland, 2013; Zambia, 2015). He even took his skills to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil as a member of the Zambian staff.
During those international competitions, Schaffer helped Karvonen to a semifinal appearance in the 50 breaststroke in 2013 while aiding record-setting performances two years later. In the 2015 World Championships, Shaffer's assistance helped Youssef El Kamash break two Egyptian records (50 and 100 breaststroke) while Jade Howard, who also swam under Schaffer at GCU, added two Zambian national marks (50 and 100 freestyle). Daria Talanova was the third GCU swimmer on the world stage that year, competing for Kyrgyzstan.
Schaffer became GCU swimming's second head coach in July 2008. Under his guidance, the program has made tremendous strides, highlighted by fourth-place finishes by the men at the 2011 and 2013 Division II Championships. The women’s team recorded a school-best finish of fifth place at the 2012 Division II Championships and took home two consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in their final seasons in that league.
Schaffer has won numerous awards at GCU, including being named the 2011 Division II Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year, RMAC Women’s Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013 and 2015 CSCAA National Invitational Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year.
Schaffer has directed the school’s first three individual national champions in Karvonen, a five-time Division II champion Eetu Karvonen who twice won the 100 and 200 breaststroke titles, while Mychala Lynch captured the 100 fly on two occasions. Michael Branning won the 50 free title in 2013.
Schaffer has an extensive coaching resume having made stops at some of the Valley’s elite swimming programs. He coached Desert Aquatics Club/Desert Thunder Aquatics from 1989 to 2006. In 2001, he coached DTAC’s first national finalist, backstroker Amy Wagner, who finished sixth at the USA Swimming National Championships. Schaffer was head coach for Desert Vista High School in Phoenix from 1995 to 2003. His boys teams won region titles from 1998 to 2000 and girls league championships in 1999 and 2000. He was a member of the board of directors of Arizona Swimming, Inc., from 1992 to 2003 and served as the technical planning chairman of Arizona Swimming from 1994 to 2003.
In 1993-94, Schaffer was a volunteer assistant coach at Arizona State, assisting the women’s team. Prior to ASU, he was the head coach at Tempe (Ariz.) Marcos de Niza High School. Schaffer also was the head coach of Berkshire Aquatics in Williamstown, Mass., in 1988 and 1989. There, he coached Eric McIlquham, who later won a Division II national championship and was head coach at Alabama.
Schaffer was named Arizona Interscholastic Association Class 5A Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1999. He was the region coach of the year in 1992 and from 1997 to 2001. Schaffer received the American Swimming Coaches Association Award of Excellence in 1994 and from 2010 to 2013. In 1995, he was Arizona Swimming’s Volunteer of the Year.
Prior to taking over at GCU, Schaffer worked as the Children’s Ministry Associate and Interim Children’s Pastor at Mountain Park Community Church from 2006 to 2008.
He lives in Scottsdale with his wife, Deb, and has a daughter, Kara, and two stepchildren, Dean and Angela.
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