The University of Denver men’s and women’s swimming and diving program has named Claire (Maust) McDaniel its assistant coach, head coach Brian Schrader announced on Monday.
“Our staff and team just took a step forward with Claire coming aboard,” Schrader said. “She understands great team dynamics, leadership and performance. I know she has an appreciation of what being part of the University of Denver and our swimming and diving team is all about. She comes so very prepared to help our athletes be better in every area. Her work outside of the swimming pool is going to bring another facet of helping students with personal development, as well as her work as a coach and as a director of nutrition at an SEC school. It only helps our team with being better on a daily basis. I feel so very fortunate to have someone that is passionate about our program, our place and our people be a part of our staff.”
McDaniel most recently served as the Assistant Athletic Director of Sport Nutrition at the University of Missouri. In her previous swimming coaching stints, McDaniel has been an assistant at the University of North Carolina Asheville and had a six-month stint at the University of Denver with former associate head coach Alicia Franklin out on maternity leave.
“I am very excited to return to Denver and to return to collegiate coaching,” McDaniel said. “Brian has built such a solid program at DU and I am grateful for the opportunity to coach with Brian and the entire staff. Denver swimming and diving has great tradition, most notably of strong academic and athletic successes, and I look forward to building upon that legacy for many years to come.”
McDaniel has also coached club swimming for Morgan Hill (California), Asheville Masters (North Carolina) and the Athens Bulldog Swim Club (Georgia). Internationally, McDaniel spent two years coaching Swim Regio Solothurn in Switzerland from 2014-16.
In her individual swimming career, McDaniel was a co-captain for Team USA in their gold medal run at the World University Games in 2007. McDaniel led the Georgia Bulldogs as a co-captain as well, helping the program to the 2005 National Championship and a 2006 SEC title. In her college career, she was a finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year in 2007 and earned the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. In 2006, McDaniel was a part of the NCAA title-winning 800 free relay a year before she claimed the SEC title in the 500 free. McDaniel earned five All-America honors in her collegiate career.
Outside of the pool, McDaniel was a four-time Scholar All-American and has certifications of Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics and earned the Certificate in Leadership Advancement from the Terry College of Business at Georgia.
“Claire is going to do a great job coaching a strong distance and middle distance crew here,” Schrader said. “It is her forte and it will be great to collaborate with her on so many things to help our program continue to be recognized nationally.”
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