The Princeton Tigers women have hired Alex Stevens to complete their swimming & diving coaching staff for the 2023-2024 season. Stevens is part of an overhauled staff this year for both the men’s and women’s teams, caused in part by head women’s coach Bret Lundgaard leaving to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky.
“I could not be more excited to complete our coaching staff with Alex,” said Princeton first-year head coach Abby Brethauer. “Her energy and passion for the sport was palpable during the interview process and I cannot wait for the women on the team to get to know her and have the opportunity to learn from her. It is going to be incredible to have such a vibrant young coach on staff.”
Stevens is fresh out of the pool onto the pool deck – she graduated from SMU in the spring, where she was a four-year member of the Mustangs varsity squad.
A native of Summit, New Jersey, about an hour north of Princeton, Stevens finished her competitive career at the AAC Championships in February of 2022, placing 5th in the 50 free in 23.30. Her sophomore season was her best, placing 3rd in the 50 free (22.99) and 4th in the 100 free (50.32) at AACs.
She also swam on a conference championship winning 200 free relay in 2022.
Stevens ended her junior season with a torn hamstring, and while she was on SMU’s roster in the 2022-2023 season, she didn’t compete.
Since August 2022, Stevens worked at the Moody/Semones Family YMCA as the Head Coach of Fundamental Swim Programming.
Stevens graduated from SMU with a B.A. in Corporate Communications & Public Affairs and B.S. in Sports Performance Leadership.
The Princeton women have been on an impressive run of success in recent seasons, including winning their second Ivy League title over the past three seasons in February. Brethauer was promoted to head coach from her previous role as an assistant with the Princeton men’s team; former women’s team volunteer assistant Juan Sequera was retained this season and promoted to a full-time role. New NCAA rules allow single gender programs to add a second paid position to their staffs, though it eliminates the volunteer coach position.
I know the team at SMU was devastated after Alex wasn’t offered the head coaching position after being interviewed. Princeton got a good one.