Kostoff Leads Stellar Distance Group to NCAA's (3/21/2017)
Jeff Kostoff, a member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame and former Indiana assistant swimming coach, was hired in the summer of 2016 to join the Cardinal as a men’s assistant swimming coach.
In 2017-18, Kostoff helped guide junior Abrahm DeVine to a national championship in the 400 IM, Stanford’s first since 1998 and first in any swim since 2014. DeVine also captured two Pac-12 championships in the 200 IM and 200 back, and Grant Shoults finished fourth in the 500-yard freestyle for the second straight season. In all, 13 swimmers earned All-America honors while 16 were named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team, the most of any program.
In the 2016-17 season, his first on The Farm as assistant coach, Kostoff led Stanford’s stellar distance group to several strong postseason performances. Stanford’s trio of True Sweetser, Grant Shoults and Liam Egan finished one-two-three in the 1,650 free at the Pac-12 Championships, while Shoults capped the season with a program record (4:10.23) at the NCAA Championships in the 500 free. Abrahm DeVine also set a program record in the 400 IM (3:37.73) at the NCAA Championships.
Kostoff brings valued coaching and competitive swimming experience to Stanford with an impressive pedigree. At Indiana, Kostoff focused on coaching the distance and 400 individual medley swimmers while maintaining a reputation for relating well with the student-athletes due to his years as an elite swimmer.
A 1987 Stanford graduate with a bachelor’s degree in history, Kostoff was part of a swim team that won four Pac-10 championships from 1984-87, and three NCAA championships from 1985-87. While Kostoff was on the team, Stanford went 39-1 in dual meets under head coach Skip Kenney.
Kostoff’s individual swimming accomplishments are significant. At Stanford, he won three individual Pac-10 titles (1987 500-yard freestyle, 1987 1,650-yard freestyle and 1984 400-yard individual medley), while also winning five individual NCAA titles (1,650 free in 1984, 1986 and 1987, and 400 IM in 1985 and 1987).
Kostoff’s Stanford record in the 1,650 yard freestyle stood for 21 years (1986-2007), while holding the American record in the same event from 1983-1994.
At only 18 years old, Kostoff finished sixth in the 400 IM at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. He won the B-final in the same event at Seoul, South Korea in 1988.
He also set an American age-group record in the 500 free in 1983, a record that lasted for 30 years (1983-2013).
Before Indiana, Kostoff’s coaching experience includes serving as an assistant swimming coach/assistant aquatics director at Maryland, and being the head swimming coach at Manor Country Club, St. John’s College High School and Rockville High School.
Jeff Kostoff, a member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame and former Indiana assistant swimming coach, was hired in the summer of 2016 to join the Cardinal as a men’s assistant swimming coach.
In 2017-18, Kostoff helped guide junior Abrahm DeVine to a national championship in the 400 IM, Stanford’s first since 1998 and first in any swim since 2014. DeVine also captured two Pac-12 championships in the 200 IM and 200 back, and Grant Shoults finished fourth in the 500-yard freestyle for the second straight season. In all, 13 swimmers earned All-America honors while 16 were named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team, the most of any program.
In the 2016-17 season, his first on The Farm as assistant coach, Kostoff led Stanford’s stellar distance group to several strong postseason performances. Stanford’s trio of True Sweetser, Grant Shoults and Liam Egan finished one-two-three in the 1,650 free at the Pac-12 Championships, while Shoults capped the season with a program record (4:10.23) at the NCAA Championships in the 500 free. Abrahm DeVine also set a program record in the 400 IM (3:37.73) at the NCAA Championships.
Kostoff brings valued coaching and competitive swimming experience to Stanford with an impressive pedigree. At Indiana, Kostoff focused on coaching the distance and 400 individual medley swimmers while maintaining a reputation for relating well with the student-athletes due to his years as an elite swimmer.
A 1987 Stanford graduate with a bachelor’s degree in history, Kostoff was part of a swim team that won four Pac-10 championships from 1984-87, and three NCAA championships from 1985-87. While Kostoff was on the team, Stanford went 39-1 in dual meets under head coach Skip Kenney.
Kostoff’s individual swimming accomplishments are significant. At Stanford, he won three individual Pac-10 titles (1987 500-yard freestyle, 1987 1,650-yard freestyle and 1984 400-yard individual medley), while also winning five individual NCAA titles (1,650 free in 1984, 1986 and 1987, and 400 IM in 1985 and 1987).
Kostoff’s Stanford record in the 1,650 yard freestyle stood for 21 years (1986-2007), while holding the American record in the same event from 1983-1994.
At only 18 years old, Kostoff finished sixth in the 400 IM at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. He won the B-final in the same event at Seoul, South Korea in 1988.
He also set an American age-group record in the 500 free in 1983, a record that lasted for 30 years (1983-2013).
Before Indiana, Kostoff’s coaching experience includes serving as an assistant swimming coach/assistant aquatics director at Maryland, and being the head swimming coach at Manor Country Club, St. John’s College High School and Rockville High School.