Dawn Dill |
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Experience:
7 years
Head Coach
dgerken@mit.edu
617-253-4490
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Alma Mater:
Smith College '96
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The 2009 NEWMAC Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, Dawn Dill
enters her seventh season as the head coach of MIT's men's and
women's swimming and diving programs. In 2009, Dill guided the
men's team to a NEWMAC Championship and a 9th place team finish at
the NCAA Championships, the program's highest finish in 27 years.
Since her arrival in 2003, Dill has led both squads to a
total of six Top 20 NCAA Championship team finishes, nine NEWMAC
runner-up titles and 42 All-America performances. She was also
named the NEWMAC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year in 2006. In the
classroom, Dill's team has also earned multiple Academic
All-American accolades with the squad routinely placing in the top
10 in the country for team GPA's.
Before her arrival at MIT, Dill coached at Vassar College from
2001-03, one season as an assistant coach and one season as the
interim head coach. Under her tutelage, the Brewers broke 23 school
records during the 2002-03 campaign. Prior to Vassar, Dill served
as a graduate assistant coach for the Smith College swimming and
diving program from 1999-01. She was also an assistant coach for
the University of Massachusetts women's swimming and water polo
teams in 1998-99.
Dill received a bachelor's degree from Smith College in 1996 and
also received an M.S. in Exercise and Sport Studies from her alma
mater in 2001. A seven-time All-America in the 100 and 200
breaststroke, she was named the New England Swimmer of the Year in
1996. Dill was a seven-time New England champion in the 50, 100,
and 200 breaststroke and an eight-time Seven Sisters champion. She
was also honored as both an Academic All-America and ECAC Scholar
Athlete in 1995.
Brad Snodgrass |
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Brad Snodgrass is a two-time NCAA Diving Coach
of the Year, honored in 2005 and 2008. Coach Snodgrass was also
awarded NEWMAC Diving Coach of the Year accolades in 2005, 2007 and
2008. He coached MIT diver Doria Holbrook '08 to NCAA championships
titles in 2005 and 2007 on the three-meter springboard. Coach
Snodgrass is also employed at Novartis as a chemist.
Brian Keats |
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Experience:
2 years
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
University of Denver '02
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Brian Keats enters his second season as
assistant coach for MIT's swimming and diving program. Brian was a
varsity swimmer at the University of Denver where he excelled in
the backstroke and individual medley specialties. He graduated in
2002 with a bachelor's degree in Biology. As a student-athlete, he
was named team MVP in two consecutive seasons while holding two
school records. After graduating, Brian trained and competed for
Puerto Rico leading up to the 2004 Olympic Trials in Toronto,
Canada.
Currently, Brian directs the aquatics program at
the Cambridge YMCA and has been instructing and coaching swimmers
of all abilities for the past three years. He is excited to be part
of a great swim program here at MIT and looks forward to
contributing to the success of the team this year.
Samantha Pitter |
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Experience:
2 years
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
Hamilton College '07
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Samantha Pitter is beginning her second
season with MIT Swimming and Diving. Pitter earned a bachelors
degree in Economics and Communication from Hamilton College in
2007. She was an All-American sprinter, school record holder, and
NESCAC All-Academic in her four years on the Hamilton swim team.
Pitter currently works for a company that provides new sporting
equipment to underprivileged children but hopes to break into
college athletics in her future.
Jess Chang |
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Experience:
4 years
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
Johns Hopkins University '06
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Jessica Chang enters her fourth season as
an assistant coach for MIT. Chang received a Bachelors in Biology
from Johns Hopkins University in 2006. She was a three-time
All-American in the 100 Breaststroke. Chang was also an Academic
All-American and awarded the ESPN Magazine Academic All-District II
First Team Award in 2005 and the CoSIDA Academic All Amercia
College Division District II Team Award in 2004.
Jess is currently a PhD student in the
Department of Biology at MIT.
Lauren Erb |
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Experience:
5 years
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
MIT '01
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Lauren Erb begins her fifth season as assistant
coach for MIT's Swimming & Diving program. Erb graduated from
MIT in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and she also
served as team captain for both the swimming and water polo teams.
Erb was a member of the 200 freestyle relay record-setting team and
placed Top 8 at the New England and NEWMAC Championships multiple
times.
Currently, Lauren works as the Executive
Director of the Caring for Carcinoma Foundation and she is also the
head coach of a summer recreation swimming team in the Boston area.
Paul Fields |
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Experience:
1 year
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
Pomona '09
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Paul Fields is beginning his first season coaching at MIT. He
graduated this spring past spring from Pomona College where he
majored in Biology. He swam all four years as a member of the
Pomona Pitzer swim team, specializing in sprint freestyle. He
served as a team captain his senior year. Additionally he
represented the swim team on the Student Athlete Advisor Committee
for two years, co-chairing the Committee his senior year. Outside
of swimming, he also competed intercollegiately in Ultimate
Frisbee.
Currently, Paul is a PhD student in the Department of Biology at
MIT.
Nicole O'Keeffe |
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Experience:
1 year
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
MIT '09
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Nicole O'Keeffe is beginning her first season as an assistant
coach for the MIT Swimming and Diving Team and is thrilled to be
back at the Z-Center. She graduated from MIT in June 2009 with a
degree in Mechanical Engineering. A four-year letter winner and
team captain as a student, she was a two-time Honorable Mention
All-American (400 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay), and a two-time
individual NCAA Qualifier (400 IM, 1650 Free). She also holds three
school records (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 Breast), and owns the NEWMAC
Championship and Open records in the 400 IM.
Kevin O'Rourke |
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Experience:
1 year
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
Middlebury '09
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Kevin O'Rourke has begun his first season as an assistant swim
coach for the Engineers. He graduated from Middlebury College in
2009 with a degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and
currently conducts cancer biology research at the Dana-Farber
Cancer Institute in collaboration with Harvard Medical School.
Kevin played water polo and swam for four years at Middebury
College. He was voted the team's Most Valuable Swimmer in his
junior and senior years, as well as Captain his senior year. A
freestyle / sprint butterfly specialist, Kevin swam primarily
middle distance freestyle and sprinted on the team's relays. He was
invited to the NCAA Division III National Championships his
sophomore, junior and senior years and earned a total of 5
All-America honors. He currently holds Middlebury Varsity and
Natatorium records, as well as a NESCAC Conference Meet record.
Jon Varsanik |
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Experience:
4 years
Assistant Coach
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Alma Mater:
MIT '04
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Jon Varsanik begins his fourth season as a
member of MIT's Swimming and Diving coaching staff. Jon's
primary duties include developing and overseeing the team's
strength training program as well as helping out on deck.
No stranger to the MIT men's swimming program,
Jon joined the team as a freshman in the fall of 2000. In his four
years, he was elected team captain and garnered All-American,
Academic All-American, and NEWMAC All-Conference honors. Jon
currently holds four Institute records (50 butterfly, 200 Free
Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay) and two NEWMAC
conference records (200 and 400 Medley Relays).
Jon is currently a PhD student in the Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT.