Bret Lundgaard - Swimming & Diving Coach - University of Tennessee Athletics

Bret Lundgaard

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
b.lundgaard@utk.edu

In 2016-17, Bret Lundgaard is in his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Tennessee men's and women's swimming and diving program.

Lundgaard was Kredich's first hire after being named head of the combined men's and women's swimming and diving program in April 2012. He works primarily with the Tennessee breaststrokers and butterflyers, as well as, the middle distance groups. Lundgaard also serves as the Volunteers' recruiting coordinator and camp director.

THE FIRST FOUR YEARS

Tennessee has recorded four NCAA individual titles, 17 SEC titles and 196 All-America honors in Lundgaard's first three years on staff. In 2013, Lundgaard's first season on Rocky Top, Tennessee enjoyed one of their finest season's in program history. The Lady Vols won their first three NCAA relay titles on their way to finishing third as a team at the national meet, the best finish in program history. Meanwhile, the Vols took fourth at SECs and 16th at NCAAs. In 2014, Tennessee's women again produced a top-10 finish, taking seventh overall at the NCAA championships. Lindsay Gendron highlighted the meet by winning the bronze medal in both the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly, setting school records in both. The UT men again improved from the year before, finishing 15th. At the SEC meet in 2015, the men's and women's teams improved placement from the year before, both finishing fourth in the standings. On the men's side, Sean Lehane defended his SEC title in the 200 backstroke and placed second in the event at NCAAs. The year marked a real youth movement for the men's teams with six swimmers or divers earned All-America honors for the first time. Molly Hannis led the Tennessee women throughout her final collegiate season. At the SEC meet, she earned two more silver medals in the breaststroke events and also helped Tennessee win the two medley relays. She ended her career as a 14-time All-America by picking up four more awards. In 2016, the men's team returned to the top 10 in the NCAA standings, taking seventh at the national meet. The Vols also celebrated their first U.S. Olympian since 2008 when Molly Hannis made the squad. Current swimmer Kira Toussaint qualified in the 100 backstroke for the Netherlands. TENNESSEE HIGHLIGHTS:

US National Team Coach
Multiple US National Team Members between 2013-Present
2016 Olympian - Molly Hannis (200 breaststroke)
American Record (Brad Craig; 200 m Medley Relay, 2014)
2 US National Champions (Brad Craig and Molly Hannis)
Dozens of SEC Champions & Multiple NCAA Champions
Dozens of School Record Holders
Fastest 50 Breaststroke Split in History (Peter John Stevens; 200 Medley Relay, 2015)
2015 Tokyo & Doha World Cup Champion (Molly Hannis)
Recruiting Coordinator for multiple Top 5 Men's and Women's Classes
2016 ASCA World Clinic Guest Speaker

PRIOR TO TENNESSEE

Lundgaard joined Tennessee after spending three years as an assistant with Army, where he served as recruiting coordinator and also primarily trained freestylers and individual medley swimmers. "Bret is one of the most impressive young coaches that I've ever encountered," head coach Matt Kredich said. "He's very knowledgeable; he has a great way of communicating with people, and has a proven record of coaching and recruiting effectiveness at the United States Military Academy. He has exemplary recommendations from officials at one of our nation's most rigorous and prestigious institutions." As the recruiting coordinator at Army, Lundgaard helped the Black Knights land the program's best signing class for the men (2010) and the women (2011) in more than a decade, and Lundgaard helped the Black Knights rewrite their team record board as both the men's and women's teams combined to improve over 20 team records. Prior to his post at Army, Lundgaard was the assistant coach for Boulder City (Nev.) High School in 2008-09, helping the team to a fourth-place finish at the state championships. He was also an assistant coach with the Desert Storm Swim Team, a club that has produced Olympic Trial qualifiers. While coaching, Lundgaard also worked full-time as a Psychosocial Rehabilitative Worker for Agape Children's Services in Las Vegas. "We are very fortunate to have someone of Bret's character, work ethic, and ability at the University of Tennessee," Kredich said. "He's going to play a key role in establishing our men's and women's teams among the premiere swimming and diving programs in the country."

EDUCATION

Lundgaard was a collegiate swimmer at the University of Washington from 2004-2008 and was team captain his junior and senior seasons. He earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors all four years of his career and also qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly. He earned his bachelor's degree in Journalism while also earning a Certificate of Business & Marketing. He earned a master's degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sports Psychology and Motor Behavior from the University of Tennessee.

FAMILY

Both Lundgaard and his wife of seven years, Jessica Lundgaard (Milicic), hail from Boulder City, Nevada. In June of 2015 the couple welcomed their first child, Isabella, into the world.