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Mike Ginder to Lead Wesleyan's New Swimming Program
Ginder was recently named as the first head coach for VWC Men's and Women's Swimming
Featured News | October 26, 2016
By Laynee H. Timlin
Mike Ginder, assistant swimming coach at Bucknell University, has been named the first men's and women's swimming coach at Virginia Wesleyan College. This appointment follows President Scott D. Miller’s, announcement about the start of the swimming program at his State of the College address in August. The program will compete in the NCAA Division III and Old Dominion Athletic Conference beginning in the fall of 2017.
“ We are delighted to appoint a head coach of Mike's caliber to lead this new program. His experience—and success--at the Division I and Division III levels and his familiarity with our Conference, make him the perfect fit," says Joanne Renn, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Ginder has served as assistant coach at Bucknell University since 2012. Prior to Bucknell, Ginder was an assistant swim coach at Georgetown University and Catholic University. He began his coaching career at Washington and Lee University, where he was a former standout, team captain and 16-time NCAA All-American swimmer. The Marlin swim teams will compete in the natatorium of the Jane P. Batten Student Center. The men’s and women’s swimming programs are made possible through the generosity of Trustee O. L. Everett and former Trustee John Lingo.
The newly added women’s golf program began competition just this fall, building on the men’s program, which recently garnered the College’s first national championship golfer in that sport. The Old Dominion Athletic Conference currently hosts six schools in women’s golf with Virginia Wesleyan being the seventh program.
With the addition of men’s and women’s swimming and women’s golf, under the direction of Head Coach Rick Bidnick, a PGA Coaching Professional who recently came to Virginia Wesleyan from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, the College will boast a total of 22 intercollegiate athletic programs.