SPRINGFIELD, OH - After a nationwide search, Wittenberg University has found its new head coach for men’s and women’s swimming and diving in its own back yard with the hiring of local product Gabe Rastatter.
Born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, Rastatter has been a swimmer for most of his life, and he has practiced and competed many times in Wittenberg’s Natatorium. He is excited to take the reins and serve as Wittenberg’s interim head coach, replacing Sam Williams Benedict, who resigned the position in August after four years in the position.
“Coaching at the college level really excites me; especially at Wittenberg,” said Rastatter, who is also a triathlon competitor. “Being in an environment like this is just the greatest because everybody brings out the best in each other - and that's how I want my athletes to feel. I'm excited to train hard and get these students swimming at their highest level come time for the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championships.
“The college swimming atmosphere is like no other, and it's great to see the sport becoming increasingly more popular. I cannot say enough about how welcome I feel here already and how nice and friendly everyone has been.”
Rastatter, a 2014 graduate of Kenton Ridge High School in Springfield, was also a successful runner on his high school track and cross country teams, which made him turn to triathlons. He competes regularly in local and national races at all distances, including the sprint, Olympic, and Ironman. In 2022, he completed in the Indianapolis Marathon and just missed qualifying for the famed Boston Marathon with a personal-best time of 3:09:27. In November 2024, he completed the Ironman Florida (2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2 marathon run) in a time of 11 hours, 53 minutes.
“I held several team records and initially chose to go to Ohio State my freshman year because I wanted to try their Triathlon Club team to see what my potential could be there,” he said. “But unfortunately, the sport hadn't quite developed to the level I had hoped for, and I missed swimming as a result. I had a lot of friends who went to Ohio Northern to swim, and I had been recruited there, so I reached out to the coach and started my transfer process.”
As a swimmer at Kenton Ridge, Rastatter led the team to its first Central Buckeye Conference (CBC) championship in school history in his senior year and held most of the program’s records. He also swam for the Springfield YMCA club team (SPY), where he was a record-holder and qualified for nationals both his junior and senior seasons. He was a captain on both teams.
At Ohio Northern, Rastatter was a four-year varsity letterwinner, he earned all-conference and academic all-conference awards, and was elected team captain both his junior and senior years. He specialized in sprint freestyle and butterfly throughout his competitive career. After graduating with honors from ONU with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) and a minor in public policy in 2018, Rastatter decided to attend law school at ONU and use his final year of eligibility.
“We are excited about Gabe taking over the lead role of our Swim and Dive program,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Agler, Wittenberg class of 1980. “His energy and passion for the sport and program are unmatched. He will be working to solidify his staff and to begin to train our teams. I truly believe that Gabe will elevate our program. On another positive note, Gabe has strong Wittenberg ties!”
After graduation, Rastatter passed the bar exam and worked at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office in Cleveland, then he moved back home to Springfield to work in the Clark County Prosecutor's Office. Swimming, however, has always been in his heart, along with Wittenberg.
Rastatter is related to two of Wittenberg’s greatest athletes and coaches, Roger Rossi and Bob ‘Rosy’ Rosecrans. Rossi, his great grandfather, is a 1943 graduate of Wittenberg who was a standout on the football team as a center and linebacker. He was inducted into Wittenberg’s Athletics Hall of Honor in 1998. Rosecrans, a 1958 graduate and Rastatter’s grandfather, lettered three years in football, swimming, and track and field as a student before embarking on a tremendous professional career at Wittenberg. Along with coaching football as an assistant and serving as an athletics administrator for many years, Rosencrans coached the men’s wrestling team in 1971 and 1972, the men’s swimming and diving team in 1973, and the men’s golf team from 1971-84 and 1992-95. After retiring in 1995, Rosencrans was a co-owner and vice president of Mike & Rosy’s Deli, a popular eatery located across the street from campus, and he was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Honor in 2000.
“I have a deep legacy in Wittenberg athletics, especially noting my two grandfathers. It's very cool that those two come from both sides of my family,” Rastatter said, who has coached swimmers of all ages and skill levels for Kenton Ridge, Catholic Central High School, and club teams, including SPY.
“Some of my athletes have gone on to D1 programs like Alabama, Arizona State, Michigan, and Kentucky,” he added. “After three years of school and four years of practicing law, I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to stick with, but I knew I still loved swimming. My sister sent me the Wittenberg job posting on Facebook and I was immediately super excited at the possibility. I decided to apply and fortunately for me, Wittenberg had faith to take me on as an assistant coach. Then when their head coach resigned, I offered myself up to be the head coach.
“I am super excited and grateful for how the opportunity was presented to me. I understand the expectation, but I'm not afraid of doing the hard work and doing it right - a skill that I mastered through a lifetime of swimming! Just when I was thinking of a career change, this opportunity came my way. Then I think to the 70's when Rosy used to coach the swim team and I feel like I'm coming full circle.”
The team Rastatter is inheriting has infinite potential, and he is confident that every one of them can achieve their goals this season if they all work together, buy into the program, hold each other accountable, and maintain a winning mindset.
“My goal is to learn as much from them as they learn from me,” he said. “First, we need to increase our roster. Recruiting will be a huge priority for me this year, and bringing in a large class of talent will be top priority.
“Second, we can place in the top four at NCACs as a team, men and women. We compete in an extremely competitive conference. Denison and Kenyon compete for the title every year and with the new addition of John Carroll, our conference is stacked. But that doesn't mean that's bad for us, now, we get the opportunity to race and watch the fastest swimmers in Division III, which will only make us better.”
During her tenure as the Tigers' head coach, Benedict guided Wittenberg to improved finishes in the extremely competitive North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), highlighted by sixth place for the women in the 2024 and 2025 league championships. Student-athletes on both the men's and women's teams earned academic awards under Benedict's direction, and several women's swimmers posted times that rank among the best in program history.