Harvard Hires Dawn Dill as Assistant Swim Coach

Dawn Dill has been hired as an assistant coach of Harvard Women’s Swimming and Diving, just ahead of the start of the Ivy League’s 2023-24 season.

Recently appointed head coach Amanda Kulik said in part, “We are thrilled to welcome Dawn to the coaching staff. She brings a wealth of sport-specific knowledge, head-coaching wisdom and tremendous enthusiasm.”

Joining Harvard’s staff brings Dill back to Cambridge, though she never strayed too far to begin with. She has spent most of her coaching career in Massachusetts at DIII programs where she has helped to establish strong traditions of athletic and academic excellence.

From 2003 to 2014, Dill was the men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach at MIT. Under her guidance, the Engineers captured 8 NEWMAC team championships and saw 9 top 10 team finishes at the NCAA Division III Championships across both the men’s and women’s teams. While Dill was on leave during the 2012-13 season, the teams were led by former Harvard associate head coach Sam Pitter, under whom they continued their success with dual team conference championships and top 10 NCAA finishes. Since Dill’s departure, both programs have continued to dominate the NEWMAC conference.

Dill has spent the last five years as an assistant coach at Wellesley College. During her time with the Blue, the program established 29 new team records, had its first All-American in 10 years, and swam its first relay at the 2023 NCAA Division III Championships in 30 years. The team was successful in the classroom as well, earning 51 NEWMAC All-Academic Team honors during Dill’s tenure.

Dill began her coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Smith College. She then joined Vassar College as an assistant coach for two seasons and served as interim head coach before taking the helm at MIT. During Dill’s time in Poughkeepsie, 23 team records were broken and the women’s program saw its highest finish at the NYSWCAA Championships.

A graduate of Smith College, Dill was an accomplished swimmer, earning All-American accolades seven times over the course of her four-year career, including two Academic All-American honors. She earned her bachelor’s degree in physiological psychology in 1996 and her master’s degree in exercise and sports studies in 2001.

The Harvard women are coming off of a successful season both in and out of the pool, claiming their 21st straight top 2 finish at the Ivy League Championships while achieving the 3rd highest GPA in the country across DI women’s programs in the Fall CSCAA rankings.

The Harvard women kick off the 2023-24 season on Friday, October 27 against Ivy League rival Brown.