7/30/2018 12:20:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Share:
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UNI women's swimming and diving head coach Nick Lakin is excited to announce the hiring of Michael Hagensick and Bethany Hovland as the new assistant swimming and diving coaches.
Hagensick is a Panther alum, earning a degree in elementary education from UNI in 2012 and a master's in special education from Morningside College in 2017. Prior to joining the UNI staff, Hagensick served as the assistant senior coach at the Black Hawk Area Swim Team (BLAST) for 10 years. Hagensick was the head coach at Waterloo West High School for the girl's and boy's program as well as serving the Cedar Falls girl's coach.
Mike Hagensick
"We are absolutely thrilled to bring Mike onto the staff here at UNI," Lakin said. "He has a long history of developing great athletes at the club and high school level and will bring a wealth of knowledge across many disciplines to his position with us. His energy, passion and enthusiasm for learning and swimming will be a huge asset."
Working with BLAST, Hagensick has helped to design and implement competitive swimming progressions for more than 200 athletes, including those at the collegiate level. Hagensick has earned the honor of being a member of the Iowa Age Group Staff of the Year in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
"As a graduate of UNI, I am excited and humbled to join the Panther family," Hagensick said. "I want to thank Nick Lakin and the athletic department for the opportunity to be part of the UNI swimming and diving team. I look forward to working with this incredible group of young women who excel in the pool and the classroom."
Hagensick is married to Scotti (Schon), a former cross country and track and field athlete for the Panthers. They have 9-month old twin boys, Heath and Oliver.
Returning to the pool for the Panthers, Hovland (2009-13) will serve as the diving coach.
At UNI, Hovland holds the 1-meter and 3-meter school records. She was the 1-meter Missouri Valley Conference Champion in 2011, making her the only diver in school history to win a conference title. After making four-straight appearances at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships, the "Bethany Hovland Diver of the Year" award was established in her honor in 2013.
Bethany Hovland
Hovland is the founder and head coach of Cedar Valley Diving Club, where she trains divers ages 8-18 years old. She coached high school diving from 2013-17. During her high school coaching career, she coached a two-time state champion along with multiple state qualifiers and finishers, including athletes who continued their diving careers at the collegiate level.
As a native of Cedar Falls, Hovland began her diving career at Cedar Falls High School where she owns the 6 and 11 diving school records. She was a two-time Iowa High School State Champion and earned All-American status in 2009.
"Any time you can bring back a school record holder on both boards with a history of developing athletes, it is a huge hire," Lakin said. "Bethany has shown she knows what it takes to compete at the MVC and Zone level, and we can't wait to see the progress of all the divers in the coming years. She has a huge vision of what UNI swimming and diving can become, and we can't wait for her to get started."
Hovland earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2013 and her master's degree in teaching at Morningside College in 2017.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to coach diving at my alma mater alongside an excellent coaching staff," said Hovland. "I cherished my time spent as a student-athlete at UNI, and I can't wait to be back in purple and gold. The swimming and diving program has made tremendous strides in recent years, and I look forward to being part of their continued success."
