Kristy Kinzer, Former SW Staffer, Named Head Coach at Aquinas College

Photo Courtesy: Aquinas College Athletics

Kristy Kinzer has been named as the inaugural head coach for the men’s and women’s swimming teams at Aquinas College in Michigan.

Kinzer was most recently an assistant coach at Case Western Reserve. She was an All-American swimmer at Division III Calvin College. While in college, she worked as a Swimming World intern and later joined the staff as Swimming World’s internship coordinator and freelance writer.

“I am honored and thrilled to be the inaugural head coach of the Aquinas College men’s and women’s swim teams,” Kinzer said in a university statement. “Coaching is my God-given vocation and building a positive and dynamic team culture is one of my top priorities. I believe that the pool is an extension of the classroom. What we are able to accomplish as a team will mold my future student-athletes into people of character, integrity, and lights to their community both here at Aquinas and beyond. I can’t wait to lead the Saints to an exciting and competitive future!”

Aquinas College in December announced the addition of men’s and women’s swimming, which will compete in the NAIA starting in 2021-21. The team will compete and train off-campus in the Grand Rapids area.

At Case Western, Kinzer helped the Spartans send five women to the cancelled 2020 NCAA Championships with a team that posted the 10th-highest GPA in Division III. Here duties at CWRU included teaching wellness and swim classes, coordinating recruiting, general team operations and group/individual skills development.

Before Case Western, Kinzer was the head coach of Mattawan High School’s girls program and did an internship with Wester Michigan’s strength and conditioning program in 2019. Kinzer started her coaching career as an assistant at her alma mater, Calvin.

“We’re really pleased to have Kristy Kinzer join our department as the first head coach in Aquinas swimming history,” Aquinas College Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Athletics Nick Davidson said. “She has shown success as both an assistant coach and as an athlete and we’re excited to see her build our men’s and women’s programs in the coming years. Growing up, competing, and coaching in West Michigan gives her an advantage in local recruiting and we’re confident she’ll be able to tap into the strong local swimming programs. I’m looking forward to watching her teams compete next year.”

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