Maryville University Director of Athletics Marcus Manning announced today that Mandy Chun will be the first women’s swimming and diving coach at Maryville University. The program will begin its inaugural season of competition during the 2013-14 academic year.
“I am excited to have Mandy lead our new swimming and diving program,” Manning said. “In Mandy, we have found an energetic leader who has a passion for swimming and diving. We look forward to establishing this new sport at Maryville University under her guidance.”
“I come from a growing and successful high school program and am eager to begin a college program that boasts academic and athletic excellence,” Chun said. “I would like to thank director of athletics Marcus Manning and the Maryville University administration for providing the opportunity to become a head coach at one of St. Louis’ growing and thriving college programs. I am excited to build a team that will become a part of Maryville tradition and history and look forward to helping this program and the student-athletes reach and exceed their full potential in the pool and in life.”
Chun has been the head boys and girls swimming and diving coach at Francis Howell High School, in St. Charles, Mo., since August 2009. During her time there, she coached four Missouri state champions in swimming and two NISCA All-Americans (as a top 100 swimmer in the country). Chun guided the fall 2012 boys team to the conference championship and a third-place finish at the Missouri state championship. In addition, she helped the winter 2012 girls team to a second-place conference finish and a 16th-place finish at the state championship meet.
Chun worked as an assistant swim coach and camp counselor at the University of Texas Swim Camp where she worked weekly with campers from the ages of eight to 18 and helped them develop proper stroke technique. While in Austin, Texas, Chun assisted numerous noted coaches, including Olympic head coach Eddie Reese, former Georgia and SEC Championship women’s coach Carol Capitani, as well as Olympic gold medalists Ian Crocker, Aaron Piersol and Brendan Hansen.
Chun is a 2008 graduate of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., and she is currently pursuing her master’s degree in teaching at her alma mater. She was an All-American honorable mention in the 800-freestyle relay, an event she held the school record, and was a three-time qualifier for the NAIA national championships. Chun was team captain in 2007 and 2008 and earned the NAIA Champion of Character Award in 2008. She began her collegiate swimming career at the University of Indianapolis. In high school, Chun helped Iolani win the 2004 Hawai’i state championship.
If student-athletes are interested in joining the inaugural Maryville swimming and diving team, please contact coach Chun at achun@maryville.edu.
