{"id":643369,"date":"2026-05-13T21:36:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T04:36:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=643369"},"modified":"2026-05-13T21:36:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T04:36:56","slug":"illinois-state-hires-ryan-evans-to-coach-swim-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/illinois-state-hires-ryan-evans-to-coach-swim-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Illinois State Hires Ryan Evans to Coach Swim Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Illinois State Hires Ryan Evans to Coach Swim Team<\/strong><\/p>\n

Illinois State on Tuesday announced the hiring of Ryan Evans<\/strong> to lead the swimming and diving program.<\/p>\n

Evans was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Kansas\u2019s women\u2019s team for two seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am thrilled to be named the next Head Swimming & Diving Coach at Illinois State University,\u201d Evans said in a press release<\/a>. \u201cI want to thank Dr. Jeri Beggs, Cindy Harris, and the entire Athletic Department for this incredible opportunity to lead the Redbird program. I\u2019m especially grateful to my wife, Lauren, for her unwavering support throughout my career. I\u2019ve been really impressed by the resources and commitment Illinois State provides its student-athletes, both in the classroom and in the pool. This is a place that truly supports excellence, and I\u2019m excited to build a program that competes for Missouri Valley Conference championships. Lauren and I are also looking forward to raising our five kids in the Bloomington-Normal community. I can\u2019t wait to connect with our current swimmers and divers, recruit the next generation of Redbirds, and engage with the program\u2019s alumni. Roll Birds!\u201d<\/p>\n

Evans replaces Riley Hilbrandt,<\/strong> who resigned in April after two seasons in charge<\/a>.<\/p>\n