The Noblesville Swim Club and Noblesville High School in Noblesville, Indiana have announced the hiring of Jess Preston as their new head coach. He replaces Aleks Fansler, who took over the program in 2020 and left for a job with GoSwim.tv.
Preston comes from Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana and Irish Aquatics near South Bend, Indiana. He has led both the boys’ and girls’ teams at Penn High School since 2008 and began as an assistant coach with Irish Aquatics in 2020.
As head coach of the Kingsman, he has racked up 18 top 10, 6 top 5, and 3 state runner-up finishes. His girls’ teams had an overall dual meet record of 204-11-1 and his boy’s teams went 194-22 under his leadership.
In addition, Preston has led his teams to a combined 29 Northern Indiana conference championships, 26 sectional championships, 15 IHSAA event state champions, been named Conference Coach of the year 13 times and IHSAA State Coach of the Year twice. In February February, Penn were state runner-up to Carmel at both the girls and boys IHSAA State Swimming Championships.
Noblesville, meanwhile, finished 30th at the boys’ meet and 11th at the girls’ meet. The two schools are about two hours apart in Indiana.
Among his best-known talents at Penn High was Lily Christianson. An outgoing senior and NC State commit, Christianson was the Indiana High School State Champion in both the 50 free (21.72) and 100 free (48.45); she also won the 100 free as a junior in 2023, the 50 free as a sophomore in 2022, and the 50 free as a freshman in 2021.
At the US Olympic Trials in June, she finished 32nd in the 50 free (25.43), 35th in the 100 fly (59.65), 39th in the 200 IM (2:18.84), and 50th in the 100 free (56.45).
From 1999-2020, Preston he served as Head Senior and Assistant Age Group Coach at PRO Swimming in Mishawaka. While at PRO he guided multiple athletes to Indiana Age Group State Championships and record-setting performances. In 2020, PRO Swimming merged with Irish Aquatics. In 2021, Irish Aquatics won the Indiana Swimming Long Course Senior State Championships.
Prior to beginning his coaching career, he swam and played baseball at Elkhart Central High School. In swimming, he broke the school records in the 500 freestyle and 400 free relays. He went on to swim at Ball State University where he was a 4-year letter winner, scored individually all 4 years in the MAC championships, and served as team captain his senior year.
“I’m beyond excited to become the next Head Coach of the Noblesville Swim Club and Noblesville High School girls and boys swim teams,” said Preston. “This program and the Noblesville community are so welcoming. I absolutely love that their leaders are committed to accomplishing the highest level of success. With the continued growth and great sense of community Noblesville has to offer, the possibilities are endless. I can’t wait to get started!”
“Swimming is an important part of our community and I am excited that Coach Jess Preston and his family have chosen Noblesville as their next home. Jess not only has a strong passion for swimming but uses it as a tool to teach student athletes skills around leadership, discipline and ownership that they can utilize throughout their life. The future of Noblesville swimming looks bright” said Noblesville High School athletic director, Leah Wooldridge.
Among Noblesville’s top swimmers currently include rising high school junior Haddie Vohs, who finished 11th in the 100 fly (56.32) and 13th in the 200 free (1:52.42) at the Indiana High School State Championship meet in February
