Swimming

Michael Sever

Head Coach
Alma Mater: East Carolina '96
E-mail: masever15@catawba.edu
Office Phone: (704) 637-4762

 Michael Sever has been named the men’s and women’s swim coach.  Sever comes to Catawba from the University of Maine, where he has served as an assistant coach since 2012.

“I am pleased to bring someone with Michael’s experience to Catawba College,” stated Catawba AD Larry Leckonby.  “He has experience at the top NCAA level and has also built outstanding USA Swimming youth programs and Masters programs.”

While at Maine, Sever was involved with all aspects of the NCAA I program.  During his three seasons, the Black Bears set 36 new team records and had one NCAA B qualifier.  The swim team produced 33 Maine Honor Scholar-Athletes in 2015. 

"I would like to express my gratitude to President Brien Lewis, Athletic Director Larry Leckonby, and Associate Athletic Director Craig Turnbull for this opportunity,” said Sever.  “My swimming career began in North Carolina and I am thrilled to be back with my family.  There's an undeniable sense of community at Catawba and a very talented team of student-athletes.  I am eager to bring new vision and leadership to the swimming program and excited about the opportunities ahead."

Sever was the Head Men’s Swimming and Diving Coach at Rhode Island for one year before taking his post at Maine.  During that year, he led the team to a fourth place finish at the ECC National Championships out of 51 teams.

A graduate of East Carolina, Sever earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in communications from the ECU School of Design.  He did post-graduate work in graphic design at the American College of London in England.

Sever was a freestyle sprinter at East Carolina for three years.  Now an avid open water marathon swimmer, he is currently training for a 40-mile marathon swim.  Sever is an active member and competitor of U.S. Masters Swimming.

“Michael is an outstanding coach who has the knowledge and work ethic to take Catawba to the next level (nationally),” said East Carolina Coach Rick Kobe.  “I anticipate seeing great results immediately.”

He began coaching as a student assistant with the Pirates in 1992-93 then stepped away from coaching as he founded a communications design and marketing company.  He returned to coaching in 2009 when he founded Triton Swimming in East Providence, Rhode Island.

Triton is a premier New England US Masters Swimming (USMS) team affiliated with SwimRI. Sever built the team and SwimRI finished third place at the 2012 SCY Championships.  He started another Masters team, Black Bear Aquatics in 2013 and expanded with USA Swimming in 2014.

Both Sever and his wife, Victoria, have roots in North Carolina.  He is from Shelby, while Victoria is from Jamestown.  They have two children, Taylor and Cooper.

Tharon Drake

Assistant Coach
Alma Mater: E. New Mexico
Office Phone: (704) 637-4762

Tharon Drake joined the Catawba College Swimming Program as an assistant coach in April of 2018. He comes to Catawba from the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. He is a current member of Team USA and the United States Paralympic National Team.

Drake, who competes in the S11 classification for blind swimmers, holds 13 current American Records. He won silver medals in the 400 freestyle and the 100 breast at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. At the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City, Drake took gold in the 400 free and the 100 breast. He grabbed a silver in the 200 individual medley.

A native of Hobbs, N.M., Drake is excited to join the program to be able to introduce a new way to view swimming. He has an extraordinary ability to use his hearing to provide technical stroke feedback and split times much like any other coach.