Ashley Dell and Sean Warlick have been named assistant coaches for the Colonials men’s and women’s swimming programs, and will assist in all facets of the program, including recruiting, training and day-to-day operations.
Prior to coming to Foggy Bottom, Dell had a one-year stint as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Iowa, where she was also a member of the women’s swimming program from 2005-09. A two-time team captain for the Hawkeyes, Dell holds three all-time top-10 spots in the 500-yard, 1,000-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events. She was also awarded the Esther and Roland Smith Scholarship for Leadership and the Alison Pennington Haddon Strength of Character Award.
Warlick comes to GW after spending two years with the swimming program at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Warlick served as assistant swimming coach for the Tigers from Aug. 2009 to April 2011 before becoming interim coach and aquatics director this past summer. He spent two years as an assistant coach with the Golden West Swim Club in Huntington Beach, Calif., and served as an assistant coach for Fort Dodge YMCA and Circle Swim Aquatics in Iowa.
An American Swimming Coaches Association Level 2 Certified instructor, Warlick was a four-year member and captain of the Grinnell College men’s swimming team, where he still ranks among the Pioneers’ all-time top-20 in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard freestyle relay.
“I am very excited to have Ashley and Sean join our staff,” head coach Dan Rhinehart said. “They both bring a wealth of swimming knowledge to GW and I am looking forward to what they can provide to our student-athletes, the program and the university.”
The men’s swimming program finished fourth of seven at the 2011 Atlantic 10 Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, taking first-place in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The Colonials ultimately earned 223.5 points as a team, matching the program’s highest finish since the 2004-05 Championships.
The women’s swimming program finished eighth of ten at the A-10 Championships, improving upon last year’s last-place finish in the A-10 by two slots and breaking a program record in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
