Dave Albert moved into the head position at St. Xavier in 2021. An ’08 grad, Albert returned to his alma mater as a coach in the Fall of ’09, becoming the youngest coach in St. X swimming history. His previous years with the program prepared him well.
He has established a very high standard for the athletes with whom he works. Albert has instilled a passion for the sport and team while quickly developing quality competitors. His coaching philosophy manifests itself in a collegial, collaborative and comprehensive manner. He was named Cincinnati Coach of the Year following the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. He was selected as District Coach of the Year in 2023. Under his leadership, St. X has won State titles in ’23 and ’24 and placed in the Top Ten nationally.
Coach Albert also serves as the Assistant Director of Enrollment and Retention. Previously, he was the assistant director of admissions and enrollment, as well as the dean of student leadership at Archbishop McNicholas High School.
As a St. X swimmer, Albert demonstrated early his abilities as a fine breaststroker capturing first place as a sophomore at the Fred Cooper Memorial District Invitational. He followed that up with top 6 finishes in breaststroke the next two seasons at the GCL Championships, where he was a member of the winning 200 Medley Relay as a senior.
However, his outstanding qualities were not limited to the water. He was selected captain by his teammates his final year, providing significant leadership.
Albert continued his competitive swimming as a student at Xavier University where he founded the XU Club team in 2010. In his final year on Victory Parkway (2013), he earned dual degrees in Sports Management and Organizational Communications.
His coaching activities extended to year round positions with the Mercy Health Plex Sea Wolves, the Xavier University Swim Club, and as a travel coach with the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team for the CanAm Games. For several summers, he returned to coach at North Hills Swim Club where his swimming and coaching career began. More recently, he held a senior position on the Cincinnati Marlins staff. He also works with the St. X Water Polo and Triathlon squads.
However, Coach Albert’s success reached an all-time high when he married Erin Gartner in 2020. The Alberts are the parents of James, Clara, and Adam and reside in Anderson Township. The Jesuit connection includes membership at Bellermine parish.
