Chapel Hill, N.C. – The University of North Carolina swimming and diving program has added two elite assistant coaches in Gideon Louw and Kaersten Meitz to its employees, head coach
Mark Gangloff introduced Friday. Louw, a two-time Olympian who will function affiliate head coach, and Meitz, a four-time All-American, be part of the Tar Heel employees after guiding Pitt to certainly one of its most profitable runs in program historical past.
Over the previous two seasons, Pitt produced historic outcomes on the NCAA Championships. The ladies’s workforce achieved the best end in program historical past and the lads’s workforce posted their finest NCAA lead to 73 years. Both Louw and Meitz had been a part of a employees acknowledged nationally for individualized athlete growth, physiological experience, and a recruiting mannequin that produced high eight NCAA finishes.
“We’re thrilled to add Gideon and Kaersten to our staff,” stated Head Coach
Mark Gangloff. “One of the things that excites me most is that they have already established a working relationship and a chemistry that translates directly to results. Pairing that with what we have been building here at UNC creates something special, and I believe the best days of this program are ahead of us. It’s an exciting time for Carolina swimming and diving and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Head Coach
Mark Gangloff and Senior Associate Athletic Director
Clint Gwaltney for the incredible opportunity to join and serve the UNC community,” Louw added. “I am truly honored to become part of such a prestigious athletic department and to work alongside the outstanding swimming and diving staff. The tradition of excellence, commitment to student-athlete success, and passion that define Carolina make this a very special opportunity for my family and I. We are thrilled to begin this new chapter, embrace the Tar Heel community, and proudly call Chapel Hill home. I cannot wait to get started and contribute to the continued success of the program.”
A 14-year teaching veteran, Louw pairs his Olympic journey with a technical basis that makes him top-of-the-line coaches within the nation. During stops at Pitt, Auburn, Minnesota and Florida St., he is used his train physiology background produce elite performances from the dash teams he is mentored.
Louw has served as a USA Swimming nationwide workforce coach for a number of cycles and led the Guatemalan nationwide workforce as head coach for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Order of Ikkos after mentoring David Plummer to gold within the 400-meter relay and bronze within the 100-meter backstroke on the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
As a competitor, Louw swam in each the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, whereas incomes medals on the Commonwealth Games. He is an NCAA champion who was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.
“There are very few coaches in the country who combine Gideon’s competitive pedigree with his coaching track record,” Gangloff said. “We prepared for the 2012 Olympics together as teammates, and I have watched him develop into an elite coach at every stop. Bringing him to Chapel Hill is a tremendous win for this program.”
Meitz is likely one of the rising stars within the teaching career. During her two stops at Washington St. and Pitt, she’s used her intensive information and talent to speak to ship excellent outcomes. A center distance and distance specialist, Meitz helped Pitt to historic program accomplishments, whereas serving because the applications’ recruiting coordinator on the ladies’s facet. She’s additionally been a USA Swimming committee member for a number of years.
In the pool, Meitz was part of 4 USA Swimming nationwide groups, profitable two gold medals and a silver on the World University Games. She was a two-time U.S. Olympic Trials finalist and a four-time All-American at Purdue.
“I have seen firsthand the impact Kaersten had on the women’s programs she has been a part of,” Gangloff added. “She is a young coach with a rare ability to build cohesion and culture, and those qualities are exactly what elevate a program over time. I am excited about what she is going to bring to the future of Carolina swimming and diving.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the Carolina family,” Meitz stated. “I am eager to help build on UNC’s success at the ACC, NCAA and international levels. The storied athletic success at UNC makes it a place where I know we can coach and develop athletes to reach their highest athletic potential while gaining a world class education. I want to give a special thank you to Coach Gangloff, his wife Ashley, and the rest of the staff for this opportunity where I am confident I can continue to grow as a coach and a leader.”
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