Lycoming College announced the hiring of Andrew Druganas as the school’s head swimming coach on Thursday.
Dragunas, a native of Pointe-Claire, Quebec, was a Canadian youth and junior national champion, competing at Olympic Trials in 2000 and 2004. He was a school-record holder at East Carolina.
Dragunas has coached since 2005, starting at Pointe-Claire Swim Club, one of the top clubs in Canada, where he worked with junior and senior national teamers.
“I am extremely grateful and honored for this incredible opportunity to lead the Lycoming swimming program,” Dragunas said in a press release. “I would like to thank President (Kent) Trachte, and Athletic Director Mike Clark, and the search committee for putting their trust in me to move the swimming program forward. I would also like to thank all of the coaches, swimmers and administrators who have been a part of my journey to Lycoming College. I am thrilled and ready to work with Lycoming’s dedicated swimmers to help them grow and develop to reach their full potential.”
Dragunas got his coaching start with Canadian Olympic coach Paul Midgley, working with Pointe-Claire and Western University, where he received a master’s degree in kinesiology in 2009 and his Ph.D. in 2015. Dragunas was an assistant coach at Oswego State University for three seasons, leading the team to a SUNYAC championship in 2018. He spent last year at Vassar College as an assistant.
“Throughout the interview process, we were impressed with Coach Dragunas’ vast knowledge of the sport of swimming,” director of athletics Mike Clark said. “His time as an elite junior swimmer in Canada as well as his time as a Division I swimmer at East Carolina University are impressive on their own. His work in swimming biomechanics is vast and will really give Lycoming swimmers a distinct edge as they work to improve throughout their careers. In the past five years, he has gotten a taste of Division III, and he has taken to heart the mantra: Discover, Develop, Dedicate. We are excited to see the development that the team will show under his tutelage.”
“Andrew Dragunas had a big impact on the Vassar swimming and diving program in a relatively short period of time,” Vassar head coach Lisl Prater-Lee said. “Andrew offered the swim/dive program many strengths that went well beyond on-deck coaching. We are excited that Andrew has this new opportunity as the head swimming coach at Lycoming and we look forward to the many successes that Andrew and the Lycoming swim program have in store.”
Amazing!! Congratulations and well deserved!
Congratulation Andrew!!!
As a lycoming swimmer, I am extremely grateful for this hire. Not having a coach the entire semester has not been fun whatsoever, and im super excited to see the direction he takes us
Congrats Andrew! So proud and happy for you!
Congrats Andrew Dragunas! So happy for you!