JAMESTOWN, N.D. (JimmieAthletics.com) – The University of Jamestown has announced the hiring of Alex Raasch as its first ever women’s swimming and diving head coach.

The program will begin competition in 2021-22 while Raasch will spend the 2020-21 season recruiting.

“We feel women’s swimming and diving is a perfect fit for our institution and our department,” said University of Jamestown Director of Athletics Sean Johnson. “There is a tremendous amount of talented swimming student-athletes in our region and we feel those individuals fit the profile of students that thrive at the University of Jamestown.  There are abundant opportunities for our team to compete in the region and we feel we are positioned to be successful.  We are also very grateful for our partnership with Jamestown Public Schools and Jamestown High School in allowing us to use their pool as our practice and competition facility.”

Most recently, Raasch, a native of Massachusetts, was the interim head swimming and diving coach at the University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas.

Raasch began her coaching career with the YMCA of Greater Boston where she served as the Head Swimming Coach at the Hyde Park branch in Boston, Massachusetts. While in this position she began an adaptive swimming program and worked with swimmers of all ages, levels and abilities.

Raasch then coached at Newton North High School (MIAA Division 1) as the Head Swimming and Diving Coach for the girls varsity and junior varsity teams. While there she led the team to a ranking of 3rd at MIAA Division 1 State Championships. Alex also coached at Sharon High School (MIAA Division 1/2), where she served as the Head Swimming and Diving Coach for boys varsity and junior varsity, as well as girls varsity and junior varsity, and the co-ed diving team. While there she led the girls team to a first place finish for the Hockomock League – Davenport Division at championships in 2019. During her time there three new school records were achieved. In addition to her YMCA and high school coaching experience, Raasch also worked as the Head Coach of the Life Time New England – Westwood USA Swimming team.

“Alex effectively led the Sharon varsity swim and dive team being hired just shy of the season’s start,” said Sharon Public Schools Director of Athletics Dr. Nick Schlierf. “Her training expertise was across all strokes, and very rare in a high school coach, also included essential knowledge of dives. Each swimmer from the elite racers to the novices improved times and achieved personal bests.”

As an athlete, Raasch participated in swimming, diving, dance, soccer and cheerleading in high school and college. After college Raasch competed on the Charles River Masters USMS team at Harvard University. While swimming there, the team placed 1st at the New England SCY Championships. Raasch finished her last competitive season with six top 8 finishes (including two gold and two silver) at regional championship and state level meets, qualifying for the 2021 State Games of America.

“We are very excited that the University of Jamestown is adding swimming to its varsity program,” said Jamestown High School head swim coach Ben Smith. “This will greatly enhance the swimming experience here in the Jamestown community. Coach Raasch will bring some stellar energy and great ideas—we are eager to welcome her to Jamestown.”

Raasch graduated from Salem State University in 2018, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Sport and Movement Science with a concentration in Aquatic Management. While there, she had the opportunity to student teach college swimming courses as well as help start the first ever Generation Games in North America. She is currently working on her Master’s of Science in Sport and Recreation Pedagogy with a concentration in Sport Coaching at Ohio University.

“Alex’s combination of enthusiasm, knowledge and work ethic make her the right person to start our program,” Johnson said. “She made a tremendous impression from her first conversation until we made the decision to hire her.  I am confident that she will build strong and long-lasting relationships with high school and youth coaches in our region and that will lead to the recruitment of outstanding student-athletes.  She will be a great mentor and leader for all the student-athletes that join our program.”