Longtime swimming coach Eric Wentzel passed away at the age of 50 in Dayton, OH, on May 26. He left a lasting legacy on the sport in the state.

The official Instagram account of Archbishop Alter High School sent out a post on May 27 to announce the sudden passing of the swimming coach with a heartfelt message for him.

“Eric was a beloved part of the Alter community,” the school wrote for Wentzel as a tribute. “His passion, leadership, and unwavering support left a lasting impact on generations of Knights, both in and out of the pool. Eric embodied the spirit of Catholic education through his compassion, faith, and commitment to serving others.”

Located in Kettering, Ohio, the Archbishop Alter High School was the home turf for Wentzel as a swim coach for their teams over the last 16 years. He also played the role of a mentor to the student-athletes for the entirety of his tenure at the school.

During his time at Alter, beginning in 2010, Wentzel helped the girls’ team in the swim program win the Greater Catholic League (GCL) Championship on seven occasions. It also included five straight titles from 2021 to 2025, as per the report from SwimSwam.

He went on to become the GCL Coach of the Year on multiple occasions.

Wentzel was also a part of the YMCA of Greater Dayton as a swim coach for the last 25 years at the South YMCA—Key Swimming and later went on to become the swim team director in 2006.

At the Southwest Ohio YMCA Swim League, Wentzel performed his duties as the HOF coordinator on the executive committee. He was also a member of the executive committee of the National YMCA Coaches Association.

Eric Wentzel’s swim career and family life

Eric Wentzel became a high school graduate in 1994 from Cambridge High School in the state of Ohio. He followed it up by swimming collegiately at Wright State University in Fairborn, OH, while graduating with a bachelor's degree in humanities and business.

Following his collegiate swim career, Wentzel transitioned into swimming coaching and kept adding to his portfolio until his sudden passing this week.

Wentzel is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and his three daughters, Hannah, Charlie, and Claire. Currently, Hannah has completed her sophomore year at the University of Toledo as a swimmer, following in the footsteps of her father.

Moreover, as per the obituary published on Dignity Memorial’s website, Wentzel’s funeral service will be held at noon on Monday, June 1, at the Tobias Funeral Home in Dayton, OH.

The family of Wentzel is asking for people to make donations to certain funds in his name instead of flowers.

Read more at Swimmer's Club!

Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Ankita Yadav