University of Saint Mary (Kansas) Adds Men’s, Women’s Swimming

NAIA school the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas has announced that it will add men’s and women’s swimming programs for the 2018-2019 season.

The school hired David Bresser last week as head coach of both teams. He has spent the last 5 years as girls’ head coach and boys’ assistant at Lansing High School. In 2017, he was named the Kansas High School Swim Coach of the Year and led his team to a league championship with their most state qualifiers in program history.

“Coach Bresser is an outstanding leader and coach, with an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades,” said Athletic Director Rob Miller. “His coaching philosophy puts scholarship, leadership, and sportsmanship first, and that complements our focus on building Champion of Character student-athletes. Our program is in great hands—and I look forward to seeing where Coach Bresser takes the teams.”

The school does have a very small recreational pool on campus (reminiscent of a hotel pool), but its not sufficient for competitive swimming. So, the team will practice at the Lansing Unified School District #469 Natatorium.

Bresser swam at Army – West Point for 4 years, including as a captain in his senior year, and graduated with a degree in systems engineer. He served as a graduate assistant at West Point after his senior season.

The addition of swimming brings the school’s sport offerings to 20 programs – men’s and women’s swimming, wrestling, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, cross country, and track & field, as well as volleyball, football, baseball, softball, and co-ed cheerleading and dance. The university is a Catholic applied liberal arts university sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. There are approximately 800 students on campus.