Nieszner and Kremer Named Co-Head Coaches of Minnesota Women’s Swimming

MINNEAPOLIS, April 16. UNIVERSITY of Minnesota Athletics Director Joel Maturi and Associate Athletics Director Karen Weaver announced today that women's interim head coach Terry Nieszner and Gopher men's swimming associate head coach Kelly Kremer have been named co-head coaches of the women's swimming program.

Nieszner and Kremer will take over as co-head coaches, following Jean's Freeman's 31-year tenure at the helm of the Maroon and Gold. The duo will begin their responsibilities effective Monday.

After serving as the women's swimming assistant coach for 27 years, Nieszner was named the interim head coach immediately following Freeman's retirement announcement on March 2. Nieszner worked closely with Freeman for nearly three decades, and their coaching philosophies, styles and skills complemented one another very well. Nieszner is a well-known and highly respected member of the swimming community.

During her time as an assistant coach, Nieszner worked with the strength coaches to supervise all phases of the dry land training program. She arranged for organized and efficient travel to all competitions, and was also responsible for researching and ordering the most recent and top of the line equipment for the team.

Since the start of Nieszner's coaching career, the Minnesota women's swimming and diving program has had 57 swimmers earning over 200 All-America certificates and has placed in the NCAA Championships 17 of the last 18 years. While assisting with back-to-back Big Ten Championship teams in 1999 and 2000, Nieszner has also helped coach over 100 All-Big Ten swimmers.

A former Gopher swimmer, Nieszner is a four-time All-American (1974, twice in 1975, 1976) and two-time Big Ten champion (1974, 1977). She is a member of the Minnesota Aquatics Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Swimming Hall of Fame.

Kremer finished his sixth season as a member of the Golden Gopher men's staff, his second holding the associate head coach title. While primarily responsible for the middle distance and distance swimmers at Minnesota, Kremer has helped produce over 30 NCAA All-Americans and several All-Big Ten selections in his six seasons with Minnesota.

A native of Mandan, N.D., Kremer began his coaching career in 1988 with the Springfield Aquatics Swim Team in Springfield, Mo. From 1992-94, he was the graduate assistant coach for Drury University, also in Springfield. Kremer served as head coach for John Brown University from 1994-95, and as the assistant national team coach with the Mission Viejo Nadadores in Mission Viejo, Calif., from 1995-98.

As an athlete, Kremer has extensive credentials. He was fifth at the 1991 U.S. Open in the 100 backstroke and participated in the 1992 Olympic Trials in the same event. During his collegiate swimming career at Drury University, Kremer was a 24-time NAIA National Champion and a 29-time NAIA All-American. Kremer graduated from Drury University in 1992 with an undergraduate degree in elementary education. He earned his master¹s in education in 1994, also from Drury.

"I think we're both very excited for this opportunity," Nieszner said. "I think with having a combination of both teams, we can become the best staff in the nation."

"I think it's great for Minnesota swimming and diving," Kremer said. "We have the tools and the resources to be recognized on the national level and we look forward in joining the men's program in the national rankings."

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