SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Marian Ware Director of Physical Education and Athletics Adam Hertz has announced Karin Brown as the new head swimming coach at Swarthmore College. Brown, who will assume coaching duties for both the men’s and women’s swimming programs, was most recently the acting head coach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Karin stood out among a talented pool of candidates,” said Hertz. “She has a firm grasp of what it takes to lead this program, and an intellectual curiosity that will complement the culture at Swarthmore. We are very excited that she has chosen to join our family.”
Brown replaces Sue Davis, who announced her retirement after 40 years of service to Swarthmore College.
At MIT, Brown helped the men’s and women’s programs capture consecutive New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) titles. She took over as acting head coach in January 2015 and guided the women’s team to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships and the men’s squad to a 10th-place standing. The 2014-15 MIT swimming and diving programs set 13 school records and accumulated a combined 47 All-America performances, 23 NEWMAC Academic All-Conference accolades and 22 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Academic All-America honors. One swimmer was named a Capital One Academic All-American and an Elite 89 award winner.
MIT swimming and diving also flourished in Brown’s first season on the staff as an associate head coach in 2013-14. After sweeping the team titles at the NEWMAC Championships, the men’s program placed fifth at NCAAs and the women finished in ninth. The teams combined for 51 All-America performances, 20 CSCAA Academic All-America honors, 19 NEWMAC Academic All-Conference selections and 13 program records.
“I am honored and excited to join the Swarthmore College community as the new head men’s and women’s swimming coach and would like to thank [Marian Ware Director of Athletics] Adam Hertz and the entire search committee for this opportunity,” said Brown, who is a native of Madison, Wisconsin. “Swarthmore is an outstanding and unique institution. I look forward to working with the vibrant and talented student-athletes, implementing fresh ideas to strengthen the swimming program and being involved in many capacities in the athletic department and the greater campus community.”
Prior to her arrival at MIT, Brown spent five years as an assistant coach at Amherst College. The Lord Jeffs produced 12 individual NCAA champions, three Capital One Academic All-Americans and combined to record nine top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Championships. During the 2012-13 season, the women’s squad claimed its first-ever New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title and finished sixth at the NCAA Championships, while the men’s team came in seventh at the national event.
Brown was a successful swimmer herself on the collegiate level as a four-year letterwinner at Carleton College between 2004-08. She was a 15-time All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection, two-year team captain and a national qualifier.
Brown earned her bachelor’s degree in geology at Carleton in 2008 as well as master’s degrees in sports management and business administration from the University of Massachusetts in 2011. She will begin her duties at Swarthmore in August.
Swimming news courtesy of Swarthmore College.
Congratulations to Karin! Very exciting to see the MIAC making coaching waves around the country. Good Luck Coach Brown!