With Olympic Trials around the corner, many swimmers are gearing up to make a final run at grabbing a cut and a ticket to Indianapolis. Many spring Sectionals meets are being held in meters, giving athletes another chance to lock in their long course strategies.
One of those athletes is Jack Englehardt, who booked his ticket to Trials in the 50 free at the Iowa City Sectionals. Englehardt clocked a new best time by nearly half-a-second, touching in 22.44 in the opening leg of a 100 freestyle.
Englehardt isn’t only hitting best times; he’s also developing his coaching career. He’s currently in his first season as the assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, a D3 program that competes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).
“I now am working my dream job, in the most beautiful part of Wisconsin, and not only get the opportunity to work with a group of athletes that remind me every day of how fun swimming is supposed to be, but I am also able to achieve my own dreams in the pool,” Englehardt told SwimSwam.
Englehardt himself is an alum of the WIAC, having competed for UW-Stevens Points from 2014-2018. He is the conference record holder in the 50 free (19.77) and the 2018 D3 NCAA runner-up in the same event.
In 2021, Englehardt competed at Olympic Trials Wave 1, swimming 23.18 to place 32nd overall.
After graduating with his bachelor’s in 2018, Englehardt was inspired by his Stevens Point coaches to not only continue swimming, but also give back to the sport. He spent six years coaching the Madison West High School team while pursuing a master’s in coaching education from Ohio University. It was fortuitous timing, as the La Crosse position opened up at the same time.
As far as we can tell, Englehardt is the only active Division III coach qualified for 2024 Trials. 2022 women’s 200 breaststroke champion and newly appointed St. Kate’s head coach Jordyn Wentzel has best times under the standards in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, but swam them both four months ahead of the start of the qualifying period.
“I’m excited to continue coaching and swimming in La Crosse, I can’t think of a better place for me,” says Englehardt.
UW-La Crosse has one swimmer set to swim this weekend at the 2024 Division III NCAA Championships. Junior Jordyn Hahlen will make her first career appearance in the 100 back this Friday.
Congratulations John!
That’s my coach!!
Al Boelk underrated gem of a coach at Stevens Point
Not only is Jack the only DIII coach to qualify for trials, but he is the first 2-D person to qualify for trials in history!
Congrats to Jack — a genuinely good guy! Also proof that size isn’t all that in sprinting — he’s under 6′ and would need to add a few pounds to be classified as skinny.
This guy rocks!
That guys my best friend!
Now I’m curious – this says only D3 coach qualified; are there D1 coaches who are as well?
The Florida Asst. Coach swam breaststroke at the last one while a Pitt. Asst. Coach…wouldn’t be shocked if she could do it again,
appears to take her fitness pretty seriously.
A lot of professional swimmers are technically on D1 staff as volunteer assistants, that could be messing with the numbers. If I’m remembering correctly, I think there might be one or two more recent active coaches that are qualified. Kaersten Meitz at Washington State is the first one that comes to mind.
Annie Lazor is obviously qualified and she’s on the staff at Florida. There might be a gray area where I’m guessing she withdrew from the testing pool after retiring to not have to continue updating whereabouts so probably couldn’t compete even though she has the cuts.