Cameron Kainer Named Inaugural Head Coach at Southern Indiana
Cameron Kainer has been named the inaugural head coach of the swimming and diving program at the University of Southern Indiana.
The school announced the establishment of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving program in April, with competition starting in the fall of 2022. That gives Kainer a long runway to form the Screaming Eagles’ Division II program.
“I am very excited and blessed to be named the first head swimming and diving coach at USI,” Kainer said in a university release. “I have seen the success this department has had under the direction of President (Ronald) Rochon, and (Jon Mark) Hall and the commitment USI is making towards building its swimming and diving program. Seeing the new aquatic facility being built this past year made me hopeful that the addition of the team was imminent. I am so thankful USI made the commitment to add the program.”
Kainer was the head coach at Division II University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2020-21, helping the Nanooks end a two-year drought of dual-meet wins. They placed seventh at the Pacific Coast Swimming Conference Championships.
Kainer’s first head coaching job was at his alma mater, the University of Texas Permian Basin. He posted a 52-20 record in dual meets – 25-9 in women’s, 27-11 in men’s – with UTPB from 2013-20. Under his watch, the Falcons produced 24 NCAA Division II B cuts. He guided their transition to the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference.
A native of Leander, Texas, Kainer graduated from UTPB in 2010 after serving as a captain for two seasons. He got his master’s degree at St. Lawrence University, where he was an assistant from 2010-12, then a year at Florida Institute of Technology. Kainer also served as the head coach and aquatic director at Northwood Country Club in 2012 and as the national development coach at Nitro Swimming in 2013.
“USI is very excited to have Cameron lead our new programs,” USI Director of Athletics Jon Mark Hall said. “He has extensive experience at the Division II level as a student-athlete and coach. We believe that Cameron is the right person to build the foundation for USI Swimming & Diving.”
.jpg "NCAA Division II Coverage - logo"){kind=logo}