Pascal Molinard Retires at Campbell; Zach Bagby Named Interim Head Coach

The Campbell University Camels women’s swimming and diving team has named Zach Bagby as the program’s interim head coach. Bagby fills the seat that was vacated by the retirement of the only head coach in program history, Pascal Molinard, who retired at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

Bagby has spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Campbell, coming to the program right out of college at St. Andrew’s University.

Bagby brings 20 total years of swimming experience to the Camel coaching staff. He is a former letterman at St. Andrews University and Limestone College, and was a NAIA national qualifier in the 200 fly, 400 IM and 400 free relay.

The Fighting Camels posted a 6-8 record in 2022-2023, highlighted by a third straight win at the TYR ‘85 Invite at Liberty in November. Campbell wrapped up the season with a sixth-place finish at the CCSA Championship, setting eight program records at the championship in Knoxville, Tenn. Campbell once again garnered academic recognition, including the second-highest semester GPA in program history, with a 3.62 in the fall of 2022.

The Camels are fighting an uphill battle at the conference level as they don’t sponsor a diving program.

The team was led last season by Meredith Ashburn, who was 5th in the 100 free (50.34) and 6th in the 50 free (23.03) at last year’s CCSA Conference Championship Meet.

Molinard spent the last 19 seasons leading the swimming program at Campbell and 32 in total at the school.

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hmmm ok sure
1 year ago

definitely wasn’t retirement, it was resignation from an investigation

suspicious
1 year ago

People don’t abruptly retire… there is a different story that is well hidden from everyone else. It’s nice too see that “old-school” way of coaching and making swimmers hate their sports are finally coming to the end with coaches retiring.

yeah ok
Reply to  suspicious
1 year ago

there’s a reason so many people transferred and/or quit last year from Campbell

Last edited 1 year ago by yeah ok
skeptical
1 year ago

all it takes is one girl to share her story. we’ll see what happens in the next couple of days. curious to know former athletes opinions on this abrupt “retirement”

Bama Slama
Reply to  skeptical
1 year ago

crickets..

Bama Slama
1 year ago

what’s the real reason? Nothing about his retirement on their website. You would think they write something?

seen it before
Reply to  Bama Slama
1 year ago

mental and emotional abuse, tends to be a trend with old school coaching style

Zippo
1 year ago

End of an era,
Molinard retires from helm,
Bagby takes the reins.

nobody retires
1 year ago

“retired” lol

Petra Schneider
1 year ago

He’s a good guy and former FLST teammate.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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