Tom Burton heads into his 21st year as head coach of men's and women's swimming and diving at Colby in the 2018-19 academic year. During Burton's career his swimmers have competed in the NCAA Championships recording over 100 All-America performances, including a national title. In addition, his athletes have competed at both the senior and junior nationals, obtained U.S. Open standards, and earned Academic All-America, NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship, and GTE Academic All-America honors.
Under his tutelage Colby swimmers have set more than 120 school records. At the conference level 16 swimmers have captured NESCAC titles while 74 have earned All-NESCAC honors. Nationally Colby has finished as high as eighth at the NCAA Division III Championships. His Mule swimmers and divers have garneried 75 All-America and 14 America Academic All-America honors. In recognition of his athletes' success, Burton was honored as the NESCAC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2005 and has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence eight times by the American Swim Coaches Association.
Burton previously served for six years as the head swimming coach at Lake Forest College, where his teams won eight conference championships. He served as the chair of swimming for the Midwest Conference Championships (MWC) for five years, was honored as MWC Coach of the Year three out of six seasons, and was Illinois Collegiate Coach of the Year twice.
Burton also serves as Associate Director of Athletics at Colby.
