The University of Arkansas has hired Alec Kandt as the program’s new assistant swimming coach. He replaces Petra Martin, who spent two years with the Razorbacks.
Martin isn’t going far for her next gig – she will step off deck and take a role with the university recruiting graduate students.
Kandt comes with a big recommendation too. According to Arkansas head coach Neil Harper, Kandt received “nothing but great” reviews from his former boss Gregg Troy. Kandt spent a season from August 2017 through July 2018 as a volunteer assistant under Troy at the University of Florida. There, he worked with all groups and the team’s professional training group.
More recently, Kandt spent two years as an assistant at NCAA Division II Davenport University. At last year’s GLIAC Championships, one of the top D2 conference championship meets, the DU women finished 5th out of 5 teams and the men finished 6th out of 7 teams. A relatively-new program, the women’s team began competition in 2018 and the men in 2020 – Kandt’s first year with the program.
Kandt’s Coaching History
- ARKANSAS – Assistant Swim Coach – August 2022-Present
- DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY (D2) – Assistant Swim Coach – August 2020-August 2022
- EAST GRAND RAPIDS AQUATICS (Club) – Head Age Group Coach – July 2018-July 2021
- FLORIDA – Volunteer Assistant Swim Coach – August 2017 – August 2018
- GATOR SWIM CLUB (Club) – Assistant Swim Coach – July 2017 – April 2018
- MID-MICHIGAN AQUATICS (Club) – Assistant Swim Coach – March 2016-April 2017
- SOUTH EAST METRO SHARKS SWIM CLUB (Club) – Assistant Swim Coach – May 2014 – August 2014
Arkansas, which sponsors a women’s-only program, finished 11th out of 12 teams in 2022, which was a rebuilding year for them. Like most of the conference, though, they have a ton of upward momentum. Three SEC scorers – Vanessa Herrmann, Kobie Melton, and Andrea Sansores – are returning for 5th years with the Razorbacks, which puts their relays in really good shape. They also bring in a 5th year transfer Luciana Thomas from Notre Dame, who finished 8th in the 400 IM at last year’s ACC Championships.
A team with this many issues the last few years and will now have an all male staff for a women’s only program…..How???
I have swim against Alec Kandt in high school. Nice and down to Earth man!
Good luck!
She probably couldnt stand the swim team culture any longer!
What other Power 5 assistant roles are still out there unannounced? NU? Cal? FSU? IU Ops?
I’m going to need a housing and cost of living breakdown on this one
I believe your $$$$$$$ will go a little further in Fayetteville?
Further than California, yes, and even Arizona. Further than pre-COVID years, unfortunately no in Fayetteville itself, with increasing housing costs and limited housing supply being a big driver (and the University has too many freshman so the school is in a housing crisis itself). Some neighboring towns are a bit better on price but supply is still a challenge (I know people who’ve had to put off moves to the region because of the housing supply), but beware a commute may be in order, and Fayetteville is not easy to get into or out of during rush hour.
If you haven’t figured it out yet: nobody should coach or train anywhere as a pro, because cost of living is out of control everywhere except rural Mississippi, and there are not many swim teams there.
1 college team at Delta State in good ol Cleveland, and not many more club teams
Damn even Cleveland is getting hit. July 2022, home prices were up 9.6% YOY.
What is this in reference to?
The comment section has a bad habit after any move/hire/commitment of rolling up with “but the cost of living…” as if the cost of living is the only thing in the world that matters.
Well…if you can’t even afford to be ALIVE…
For some added clarification, this is the comment I’m referencing from the Brooks Fail post.
https://swimswam.com/usc-rounds-out-swimming-coaching-staff-with-11x-all-american-brooks-fail/#comment-1116710
I knew after I saw it that I would fire off a joke about this on the very next hiring post