Gophers Announce Promotions Inside Coaching Employees

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – University of Minnesota Director of Swimming and Diving Kelly Kremer has introduced modifications to the teaching employees for the upcoming 2026-27 season, selling Maddy Olson to Senior Associate Head Coach and Zach Mertens to Associate Head Coach.

Maddy Olson can be coming into her ninth season with the Gopher swimming and diving program in 2026-27, persevering with to steer the gap swim group. Throughout her tenure with the maroon and gold, Olson has additionally served as a coach for the US National Team and was an Assistant Coach for Team USA on the 2025 World Championships in Singapore. Olson has seen main success with Gopher athletes, together with teaching Gopher alumnus Joey Tepper to a twelfth place end on the world championships within the 10k open water occasion and junior Katie McCarthy to an All-American end within the 1650 free on the 2026 NCAA Championships.

“Minnesota is home for me,” stated Olson. “I’m so thankful to Coach Kremer and the group of swimmers I get to work with every day, it’s a joy to be going into year 9!”

Zach Mertens enters his fourth season with the Minnesota swimming and diving program in 2026-27, main recruitment for the boys’s staff and on-campus recruitment for this system. Mertens will proceed to work with a dash swim group for the Gophers that has seen latest success, together with a brand new faculty document of 25.10 within the lengthy course 50 free set by sophomore Livi Wanner earlier this summer season.

“I’m so grateful to Coach Kelly Kremer and this opportunity,” stated Mertens. “I’m fortunate to work with such an accomplished staff here at Minnesota and I’m excited to be part of the future of such a historic program. Go Gophers!”