Lacina Named Assistant Swim Coach; Breton Returns as Diving Coach

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head swimming & diving coach Ryan Evans has introduced Keely Lacina as this system’s new assistant swim coach.

Lacina joins the Redbirds after spending the previous two years as a graduate assistant with the Northern State swimming & diving program whereas pursuing a Master of Science in Sports Leadership and Performance. She will primarily oversee Illinois State’s mid-distance and distance swimmers.

“I am very excited to have Keely joining the Illinois State Swim and Dive staff,” mentioned Evans. “We had a tremendous pool of candidates, and Keely stood out from day one with her professionalism and motivation to help elevate Redbird Swimming and Diving.”

During her time at Northern State, Lacina gained expertise in almost each aspect of a Division II swimming & diving program. She assisted with recruiting efforts, coordinated official and unofficial visits, developed observe plans for a number of coaching teams all through the season, led coaching classes, organized staff journey and meals and helped oversee student-athlete welfare. She additionally supported this system’s fundraising initiatives, serving to increase greater than $20,000 for staff journey and bills, and revitalized Northern State’s Water Wolves swim lesson program by implementing a brand new scheduling mannequin that generated greater than $25,000 every semester to assist staff operations.

Lacina additionally has expertise aiding with the Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks swimming & diving camps, gaining expertise with two of the nation’s premier collegiate swimming applications.

Outside of her collegiate teaching expertise, Lacina has coached with the Aberdeen Stingrays since September 2024, the place 95 p.c of the athletes in her coaching group certified for the state championships throughout her first season. She beforehand coached with the Mandan Marlins Swim Club, emphasizing technical improvement, damage prevention, psychological wellness and long-term athlete improvement.

Before starting her teaching profession, Lacina competed collegiately on the University of Mary, specializing within the freestyle and backstroke. She earned her bachelor’s diploma in advertising from the University of Mary in 2023.

“I had the opportunity to coach Keely while I was at the University of Mary,” mentioned Evans. “I have enjoyed watching her grow as a coach over the last few years. Her experience at Northern State, coaching club, and her time spent at the University of Texas and University of Kansas swim camps have prepared her well for this opportunity. I know she is committed to developing a strong coach/athlete relationship with each student-athlete on the roster, and I am confident she will make an impact on day one.”

Evans additionally introduced that Sienna Breton will return because the Redbirds’ diving coach for the 2026-27 season. In her first yr with this system, Breton helped information Emma Thompson to a ninth-place end within the 3-meter dive and a Fifteenth-place end within the 1-meter dive on the Missouri Valley Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. She additionally coached Bayley Fowler to a Thirteenth-place end within the 1-meter dive on the convention championships.

“I am thrilled to welcome Sienna back to the Redbird Swim and Dive family,” mentioned Evans. “During the interview process, it was clear that Sienna has a deep passion for Illinois State and the student-athletes. When I shared the news with the divers that she was returning, they were very excited. That is a testament to Sienna’s commitment to developing strong coach/athlete relationships with every student-athlete. I am looking forward to seeing our divers continue to improve under her guidance. “