Kentucky Names Bret Lundgaard Head Swim Coach
The University of Kentucky on Monday named Bret Lundgaard as its new head coach of men’s and women’s swimming.
Lundgaard was previously the coach of the Princeton women’s swimming team. He replaces Lars Jorgensen, who resigned last month.
Lundgaard has been at Princeton since the 2017-18 season. He was named the Ivy League women’s coach of the year in 2022-23, helping the Tigers win 12 of 20 events at the Ivy League Championships and provide the meet’s high scoring swimming and diver (Nikki Venema and Charlotte Martinkus, respectively). Princeton is also sending three swimmers to the U.S. team for the World University Games.
“This is such a special opportunity and my family and I couldn’t be more grateful,” Lundgaard said in a university statement. “I want to thank the leadership team at Kentucky, specifically, Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, Associate Athletic Director Nathan Schwake and Senior Woman Administrator Rachel Baker, for their engagement and support of me, my family and the Wildcat swimming and diving teams. There is a clear commitment to helping these student-athletes become their best versions as people, students and athletes, and I am motivated to partner with them and compete at the highest levels this sport offers.”
Princeton also won the Ivy League in 2020 under Lundgaard. He coached 21 individual Ivy League champions, 57 All-Ivy student-athletes, posted a 42-12 dual-meet record and 27-8 mark in the Ivy League.
Lundgaard is plenty familiar with the SEC: He spent five years as an assistant coach and director of recruiting for Tennessee before heading to Princeton. He helped the Volunteers’ women’s team finish third at NCAAs in 2013 and the men take seventh in 2016. Among his pupils was 2016 Olympian Molly Hannis.
“Coach Lundgaard’s teams have demonstrated championship performance in the pool and in the classroom while sharing our vision for development of student-athletes in all areas of their lives,” director of athletics Mitch Barnhart said. “When you add his coaching experience having been a US National Team Coach and in the Southeastern Conference, he is a great fit for our program. We welcome Bret, Jessica, Isabella, Soleil and Layla to the Wildcat family.”
Lundgaard swam at the University of Washington from 2004-08, a two-time team captain and an Olympic Trials qualifier in 2008. He received his bachelor’s degree there and a master’s in kinesiology in his time in Knoxville. He began coaching at his alma mater, Boulder City High School in Nevada and Desert Storm Swim Team. His first college job was three years at the United States Military Academy at Wes tPoint, as an assistant coach and director of recruiting.
Lundgaard replaces Jorgensen, who resigned abruptly in June amid reports that the former Olympic swimmer was under NCAA investigation for possible rules violations.
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