After 22 incredible seasons, Wingate University head swimming coach Kirk Sanocki has announced he is stepping down, leaving Wingate at the end of August. Sanocki has coached the women’s team for 22 years, while coaching the men since the team was formed in 2005. He has led both teams to incredible success at the conference and the national level over the past two decades. Sanocki will be inducted into the Wingate Sports Hall of Fame this October.
“A flood of emotions has rushed through my mind after many years serving as the leader of our program,” Sanocki says. “As a coach, I’ve always admired attributes in our swimmers that transcend the pool. I’m thankful for Dr. Jerry McGee‘s vision to bring the sport to Wingate, and for his faith in me to direct the program. It started with the women’s team and five years later the men. Thank you for the special talks in your office at the conclusion of most seasons. What I will cherish most is the investment in me as a person. Having you as a mentor during your presidency is one of my fondest professional memories. You are truly the best!”
“Thank you to Steve Poston, Michelle Caddigan, Gary Hamill, Liz Biggerstaff, Rhett Brown and Heather Miller,” Sanocki says. “As administrators, you challenged me greatly throughout the years, but allowed me to challenge you as well, putting egos aside to find the best solution in the moment. A true OneDog family finds solutions based on respect and love, even during disagreements. I’ve always felt I could be open and honest without judgement…an environment where I thrive the most!”
“To all the coaches who assisted me over the past 22 years, your willingness to support our vision within the University’s mission was difficult at times, but you always managed a way,” Sanocki says. “Your enthusiasm to give back to the team was a blessing in so many ways, knowing at times it was an uphill battle. The struggle for success returns some of the best personal satisfaction there is to feel. You have made me better each and every day, and I will always cherish our time together.”
“Last, but certainly not least…my family and in particular my wife, Suzie,” Sanocki says. “Your love, patience and support made it possible for me to endure 40-minute plus commutes at 4:30 a.m., endless working weekends, road trips, training trips, recruiting calls on vacation and all the other hats we wear never having us off the working clock as college coaches. It truly is a Wonderful Life! WU What? WU Swim!”
In his 22 seasons at Wingate, Sanocki has helped the Bulldogs register 600 All-American swims, piling up 45 national championships with 31 on the women’s side and 14 on the men’s side. Sanocki was named the men’s National Coach of the Year in 2012 and the women’s National Coach of the Year in 2016. He collected 12 Bluegrass Mountain Conference Coach of the Year Awards, while also picking up both SAC Coach of the Year trophies after the inaugural SAC season in 2023.
During Sanocki’s tenure, the ‘Dogs have collected 36 Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Communicators. The Bulldogs also had a SAC Scholar-Athlete award winner in the first year of SAC swimming. Sanocki’s first individual national champion came in 2007, when Gus Chagas won the 200 Freestyle. The following year saw Maria Vlashchenko bring home Wingate’s first women’s national championship in the 100 Breaststroke. Kate Agger won the most recent national title in 2022, touching first in the 500 Freestyle in Greensboro, N.C.
Wingate has had incredible team success over the past two decades. The Bulldogs piled up 11 BMC championships, while winning the inaugural men’s and women’s SAC titles in 2023.
The Bulldog women have made 17 appearances at the NCAA National Championships, with the men making 16 appearances. The women have finished in the top 10 in the nation 10 times in the last 11 years. This run is highlighted by an incredible three-year stretch from 2015 through 2017, when the ‘Dogs finished third, second and third in the three-year run. The Bulldogs also finished fifth in 2013, while notching three sixth-place finishes, including the 2023 season.
The Wingate men have finished in the top 20 in each of the last 17 seasons. This includes 12 top-10 finishes, highlighted by back-to-back fifth-place showings in 2011 and 2012 to go along with sixth-place finishes in 2009, 2010 and 2013. The Bulldogs have finished eighth nationally in each of the last two seasons, after a seventh-place showing in 2021.
In addition to his incredible success with the Bulldogs for over two decades, Sanocki was the chairman for the NCAA Division II swimming and diving committee from 2019 until 2023. He served as the president of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) from 2014 through 2016. Sanocki also served a term as president of the BMC.
Sanocki will be back at Wingate this fall, when he is inducted into Wingate’s Sports Hall of Fame Friday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. as a part of Homecoming weekend. He will be joining a number of his previous student-athletes who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame over the past few years (Laura Gold, Maria Vlashchenko, Gus Chagas, Mason Norman and Kyle Corcoran).
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING (Wingate Swimming alumni on Kirk Sanocki)
Kate Agger (’22)
“Throughout my five years of Wingate swimming, I was always extremely proud to be part of a team led by a coach who exemplified integrity, passion and dedication. Your knowledge, expertise, unwavering commitment to the sport, and infectious enthusiasm have inspired me and so many other athletes to always give it our all. And, you gave us the confidence to achieve greatness beyond our own expectations. Capturing a national title is an example of what you always knew I could achieve! Thank you for teaching us to love the sport, to embrace challenges, and to always give our best no matter the circumstances. From the bottom of my heart, I want to congratulate you on an amazing coaching career at Wingate. In years to come when I look back over my swimming days, you will be one of the few who stand out fondly in my memory. And know that you will forever live on in each and every one of your former athletes! Congrats and best wishes! P.S…Thanks for waiting for me to finish my collegiate swimming career before retiring! I’m sure you took that into consideration.”
Marko Blazevski (’14)
“I am grateful to Kirk Sanocki for believing in a 17-year-old skinny kid out of high school and giving me the opportunity to study and swim at Wingate. His love for the sport is undeniable, but his passion and storytelling ability were huge attributes as he was able to attract and keep the student-athletes buying into WUSWIM and Wingate University as a whole. I wish him well in his future adventures. I know he will bring the same passion to the golf course in his free time.”
Kevin Hennessy (’10)
“Kirk Sanocki – I don’t think a few words in an article are nearly enough to say all that Kirk has meant, not only to me, but all of WUSwim nation. Excellence, integrity, team and honesty are just some qualities that are synonymous with Kirk and the program he built at Wingate. As for me, I will never be able to say enough about the coach, mentor and friend that Kirk has been to me. There are no words to describe or thank him for the tremendous impact he has had on me and all aspects of my life.”
Mason Norman (’10)
“Coach Kirk Sanocki has made a lasting impact on everyone who swam for him at Wingate. He built the program from the ground up and I am so thankful for all that he did for me while I was there and afterwards. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Kristin Newman Watson (’07)
“Kirk Sanocki took a small team and turned it into a D2 swimming powerhouse. The first year Wingate took a team to the NCAA championships, they had to hand write ‘Wingate University’ on a placard. The same year, Wingate had its first individual NCAA Division II champion. From then on, Wingate has been a recognized name in D2 swimming circles.”
“Kirk had a tremendous impact on me and many other student-athletes who came through the program. As a coach, he developed us not only as athletes, but as young adults ready for the world post-college.”