Florida State Swimming And Diving Adds Katy Peterson To Coaching Staff

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, August 22. FLORIDA State swimming and diving coach Neil Harper announced Friday, August, 22 the hiring of Katy Peterson as the new assistant coach for the Seminoles.

"We were looking for the right mix of someone who is very energetic, experienced and knowledgeable," Harper said. "We were excited that someone of Katy's caliber was available and as a collegiate swimmer at Virginia Tech she has a first hand understanding of the quality and class of the ACC."

Peterson brings a history of success both as a coach and as a collegiate swimmer to the Seminole coaching staff. Peterson spent three years as an assistant coach with Richmond beginning in August 2005 and helped lead the team to the Atlantic 10 conference championship in all three of her seasons on staff. While at Richmond she had both coaching and recruiting duties and helped bring in the No. 23-ranked recruiting class in the nation for the 2009 season. She has coached three Olympic trial qualifiers and three NCAA qualifiers including an honorable mention All-American. Under the direction of Peterson, 21 school records were broken during the last three seasons as well as six Atlantic 10 conference records.

"They've had a lot of success at Richmond during the last three years," Harper said. "She's certainly enhanced that program and I sought her out and was pleased she was interested in what we had here at Florida State."

The Philadelphia, Pa., native graduated from Virginia Tech in 2005 with a degree in Human Nutrition, Foods & Exercise, after a record-setting four-year career for the Hokies.

While in Blacksburg, Va., the backstroker qualified for the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference finals four-straight years in the 100 and 200 distances. Peterson also was successful on the national level qualifying for the Senior Nationals in the 100 and 200 back from 2000-2005.

The newest Seminole assistant coach was the individual record-holder at Virginia Tech in the 100 and 200 back, and was part of the record-holding 400 medley relay. Two Hokie pool records also belong to Peterson, in both the 100 and 200 back events.

Peterson replaces former assistant Liz Klink who took a position at Penn St. earlier in August.

Special thanks to Florida State for contributing this report.

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