Northwestern Director of Swimming and Diving rounded out his coaching staff with the addition of associate head coach Katie Robinson.
Robinson was most recently the head women’s swimming and diving coach at Tulane University the last five seasons following stints as an assistant coach at Virginia (2008-11) and Rutgers (2011-13).
She began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Pacific during the 2008-09 season.
“When Katie and I first spoke about her joining Northwestern, I was immediately humbled and excited to have someone with her experience and ability interested in joining our program,” Jeremy Kipp said. “It became clear very early that Katie wanted to be a Wildcat. With her addition, I believe we have one of the most dynamic staffs in the country.”
“Katie was a standout competitor and knows what is required to be the best student-athlete. She shares our vision of what NU swimming and diving can be and is coming back home to the Midwest where she has deep roots.”
“I am thrilled to be a part of the Northwestern family,” said Robinson. “I have always admired this University from afar for the prestige it brings both athletically and academically with Dr. Phillips’ leadership. Northwestern is an awe-inspiring place and when seen up close, it strikes a chord of incredible excitement, possibilities and growth. This opportunity to work with Coach Kipp and learn from his winning expertise while adding to the dynamic staff he has built over the last couple months is truly a dream come true.”
“I am grateful for the rich experience I have gained having had the privilege of coaching at Tulane the past five years and look forward to making a positive impact on the me and women of the Wildcat swimming and diving family. Go ’Cats!”
During her time with the Green Wave, 13 of 14 individual school swimming records were surpassed, as were all five relay marks. Since her arrival in New Orleans, Robinson’s swimmers and diviers won 32 conference medals, reached the NCAA Zone Diving event four times and earned conference swimmer and diver of the week honors four times.
In addition to her team’s success in the pool, the Green Wave earned Scholar All-America status from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America each of her 10 semesters.
At Rutgers from 2011-13, Robinson was responsible for the development and training of female swimmers, recruiting top-ranked student-athletes, preparing NCAA recruiting paperwork and official visits, managing team travel, tracking the program’s recruiting budget, as well as preparing and delivering the alumni newsletter. During her time in Piscataway, N.J., Robinson helped the Scarlet Knights post consecutive 9-2 dual-meet records while finishing eighth in the Big East Championship in 2012 and fifth in 2013.
During the 2012-13 season, Rutgers swimmers combined to post 41 lifetime-best showings. For her work, Robinson was the recipient of the 2012 Inaugural CSCAA Jean Freeman Scholarship and the 2012-13 Big East SWA Professional Development Grant.
Her first full-time collegiate assistant post came at Virginia from 2008-11. During Robinson’s three years on the staff, the Cavaliers’ men’s and women’s teams won Atlantic Coast Conference titles and advanced to the NCAA Championships each year. The Virginia men posted a combined 30-3 dual meet record, finished ninth in the NCAAs in 2009, 10th in 2010 and eighth in 2011. The women’s squad, meanwhile, tallied a cumulative 27-4 dual-meet mark while finishing 12th in the NCAAs in 2009, ninth in 2010 and 13th in 2011.
Robinson’s initial foray into collegiate coaching came as a graduate assistant at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., where she was responsible for aiding the head coach in both training and recruiting. The Tigers went 3-3 in dual meets during the 2008-09 season and finished fourth in the Big West Conference Championship.
In addition to her responsibilities with the team, she also served as the school’s Swim School Director, where she hired instructors, coordinated schedules for swimmers, handled payment and organized advertisements and promotions while raising over $75,000 in gross profit to aid the team’s travel budget.
Prior to her coaching career, Robinson was a star at the University of Texas from 2003-07 when she was an 11-time All-American, claimed the 200-yard fly title at the Big XII Conference Championships three times and served as team captain and recruiting coordinator in 2006-07. She earned a spot at the NCAA Championships every year as a Longhorn and helped Texas to four Top-10 finishes, including sixth-place showings in both 2005 and 2007.
As a senior, Robinson earned first-team All-America honors in the 400 medley relay (5th place) and the 200 medley relay (7th place) at the 2007 NCAA Championship. She added honorable-mention All-America distinction in the 200 fly (9th place), 100 fly (10th place), 800 free relay (10th place), 400 free relay (13th place) and 200 free relay (14th place). She set a Big XII meet record in the 200 fly and 200 medley relay that season with respective times of 1:57.26 and 1:38.36, and completed her career as a six-time All-Big XII selection and a 13-time all-conference honoree.
A standout away from the pool as well, Robinson claimed first-team Academic All-Big XII recognition in each of her final three seasons and was tabbed Texas Women’s Swimming Team Academic MVP as a junior and senior. As a senior, she was named first-team ESPN The Magazine All-District VI and second-team Academic All-American, and was the Big XII nominee for NCAA Female Athlete of the Year.
Robinson claimed the Jody Conradt Endowed Scholarship in 2005, the Houston Texas Exes Endowed Scholarship in 2006 and the V.F. “Doc” Neuhaus Endowed Presidential Scholarship, the Texas women’s athletic department’s highest endowed honor, in 2007.
Following her collegiate career, Robinson was an aquatic coach for Weiss & Weiss in 2007 where she developed skill and training programs for children aged 5-16 and the master’s program. In 2004, she reached the semifinals in the 100 fly at the Olympic Trials, and later competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials where she placed 22nd.
An active member of the community throughout her career as a student-athlete and coach, Robinson volunteered with the Girls On The Run in New Orleans on a weekly basis. Prior to her time at Tulane, she volunteered with the Pepsi 10K Run for Special Olympics from 2009-11, the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk from 2008-10, the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in 2007 and Marathon Kids from 2003-06.
A native of Dillsboro, Indiana, Robinson completed her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in December 2007, graduating with a 3.86 grade point average. She is a member of the CSCAA and the American Swimming Coaches Association.
Northwestern Combe Family Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Jim Phillips named Kipp the first Director of Swimming and Diving in School history on May 11. Kipp began building his staff by adding assistant coaches Meghan Hawthorne and Jake Tapp earlier this month.
The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Northwestern Swimming and Diving. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
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