Aaron Ciarla, Carrie McCambridge Set to Join Auburn Swimming and Diving Coaching Staff

AUBURN, Alabama, June 16. FORMER All-Americans Aaron Ciarla and Carrie McCambridge have been promoted to assistant coaches in the Auburn swimming and diving program, announced head coach Brett Hawke on Tuesday.

Ciarla joined the team late in the 2008-09 season to help fill the void left by the late head coach Richard Quick, who stepped away from the day-to-day coaching duties because of health issues. McCambridge was the graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Tigers the last two seasons.

Ciarla begins his second stint on the Auburn coaching staff after he served as a graduate assistant from 2004-07, prior to his return to coaching at Auburn last January.

"We're very excited to have Aaron Ciarla formally join the team," said Hawke. "It is great to have a world-class coach like Aaron. He is someone who truly loves the program, and I think our swimmers are fortunate to have the opportunity to draw on the wealth of experience he holds."

Ciarla was a freshman on Auburn's 1997 squad that won the Tigers' first team title and was team captain when Auburn won it again in 1999. He was a 12-time All-American during his four years on the Plains, tallying seven SEC individual titles and seven NCAA titles. Honored as the 1999 SEC Swimmer of the Year, Ciarla was also a gold medalist for the U.S. National Team in the 50 freestyle at the 1999 World University Games.

Ciarla swam professionally from 2001-04 and was a United States National Team member at various national and international events. He was also a finalist at the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, and in 2002, Ciarla held a No. 1 FINA World Ranking in the 50-short course meter freestyle.

As a graduate assistant at Auburn, the Tigers won three NCAA team titles along with three SEC titles.

A native of Charlotte, N.C., Ciarla earned his undergraduate degree from Auburn in 2000, majoring in political science with a concentration in business. He completed his master's degree at Auburn in 2008, earning a degree in public administration.

As a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach the past two years, McCambridge's primary areas of focus were with the Auburn diving, cross country and gymnastics teams.

"Carrie is great working with the athletes, she has been working with the women's team for two years and has a great understanding of their needs," said Hawke. "She also has a great knowledge in diving with her years competing at Purdue. She just brings great energy to the pool deck and that is something that's going to complement the entire staff very well."

McCambridge lettered all four years on the diving team at Purdue where she was a four-time All-America honoree and two-time Big Ten Diver of the Year. She is still the Purdue record holder on the 3-meter and platform, and ranks second all-time on the 1-meter. McCambridge swept all three boards at the 2004 Big Ten Championships and won the title on the platform for her fourth conference championship in 2006.

Prior to coming to Auburn, McCambridge spent a year as an intern in strength and conditioning at Purdue, working mainly with the men's and women's tennis, swimming and diving, cheerleading, soccer and softball teams.

The native of Columbus, Ohio, earned her undergraduate degree from Purdue in 2006 in organizational leadership and supervision and is currently working towards her masters in exercise science at Auburn and expects to graduate in August 2009.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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