Henderson State names Scotty Serio as Swimming and Diving Coach
HSU Athletics
ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State Athletics has announced the hiring of Scotty Serio (’14) as the new head coach for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs.
Serio, a Red Wave alum and former assistant whose most recent stop was as the head coach at McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas, follows Hall of Honor inductee Coak Matthews, who retired as head coach after 39 years in April.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome Scotty Serio back to Henderson State as the next head coach of our swimming and diving programs,” Director of Athletics Shawn Jones said. “Scotty is a Reddie through and through, and his passion for both this program and the University was evident throughout the search process. His wealth of experience from coaching at the highest classification of high school swimming in Texas has prepared him to lead the Red Wave into the future. Scotty checked every box for us and what we were looking for. We cannot wait to see him take this program and make it his own in the coming years.”
A McKinney, Texas native, Serio was a team captain for HSU under Matthews in both 2012 and 2013, and said he is excited to come home for what he sees as a dream job.
“Today truly is a dream come true for me,” Serio said. “I am eager to serve my alma mater and am honored to be entrusted with the Red Wave program that was an integral part of my development as an athlete, coach, and father.”
Serio is no stranger to following a coaching legend. In 2016, he took over the reins at McKinney High School from his father, Sam, who spent 33 years as head coach and led the Lions to nine district and four regional championships.
In the younger Serio’s five seasons at McKinney, he was twice named District Diving Coach of the Year and helped the Lions break several long-standing records at the school. Under his leadership, McKinney’s women’s team never failed to finish in the Top-6 of the 6-6A region and the men clinched Top-12 region results in each of the last two seasons.
Before succeeding his father, Serio was an assistant coach for Prosper High School in Prosper, Texas, from 2015 to 2016, where he was named both Boys and Girls District Diving Coach of the Year. In 2014, he served as head coach for beginners and high school age students at the Metroplex Aquatics Swim Club in Allen, Texas — the second-largest club team in the state.
Serio was introduced to collegiate coaching in the 2013-14 season when he served as a student assistant for the Red Wave men’s and women’s programs. In his time as an assistant for Henderson, Serio worked with sprint, individual medley and distance groups, helped develop multiple NCAA national qualifiers, and co-designed the Red Wave weight program.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Serio was a stand-out in the pool for the Red Wave from 2010 to 2013. He took third-place and scored 16 points for Henderson at the 2012 NSISC Championship meet in the 1-meter dive, placed sixth in the same event at the 2013 conference championships, and had Top-10 NSISC finishes as a leg of both the 400-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay. In Serio’s senior season in 2013, the Red Wave finished No. 20 in the country at the NCAA DII National Championships.
“During the interview process, I was deeply impressed with Coach Serio’s passion for Henderson State University and the Red Wave swimming and diving program,” said Henderson State Chancellor Dr. Jim Borsig. “I believe his love for our school and this community will shine through in the way he coaches and mentors our Red Wave student-athletes every day. We are excited for Coach Serio and his family, and are thrilled to welcome them back home.”
Serio will officially begin his duties at Henderson State on July 1, 2021.