TOLEDO, OH – The University of Toledo rounded out its new women’s swimming and diving coaching staff with the addition of Milana Socha and Gabriella Agostino, head coach Jonas Persson announced on Friday. Socha has been named the assistant swimming coach and Agostino joins the program as a graduate assistant diving coach.
Socha comes to UT from Smith College in Northampton, MA where she served as the head assistant swimming coach from 2014-16. In 2016, she received the CSCAA Jean Freeman Scholarship for her exceptional contributions to the swimming and diving program. As a certified strength and conditioning specialist, Socha was able to step in as Smith’s interim strength and conditioning coach in 2016. During her stint at Smith, Socha also earned her master’s degree in sport and exercise science.
Prior to her work at Smith, the Chesterton, IN native was a four-year letterwinner at Carleton College in Northfield, MN where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geology. Socha was named team captain for the 2013-14 season and earned NCAA Division III All-America honorable mention honors in 2014. She was a 13-time all-conference selection in swimming and also lettered in cross country and track & field for two years.
“I am very excited to welcome Milana to Toledo,” said Persson. “She is a smart, accomplished, and very ambitious coach. Her background and set of skills fits very well into what we are trying to do here at Toledo. She will not only have an impact on pool deck, but will be very helpful in the weight room, and with recruiting and fundraising, among other things. She will challenge each student-athlete to be their best, both in the class room and in the pool, while creating a fun and thriving environment for every Toledo swimmer and diver.”
“I am very excited to be joining Toledo and am looking forward to the start of the season,” said Socha. “Getting things going with recruiting and season planning has been the focus so far but I can’t wait to meet everyone on the team and get people back in the water. I am grateful to Coach Persson for bringing me to Toledo and giving me the chance to put my passion for the sport of swimming toward the success of this team.”
Agostino comes to Toledo from Bloomington, IN where she was a four-year standout diver for Indiana University. She was named the team’s Most Valuable Diver for the 2011-12 season and also was awarded with Indiana’s Aline Robinson Mental Attitude Award. Agostino earned a silver medal in both the three-meter dive and three-meter synchro dive in the 2012 USA Diving Summer National Championships and was the 2010 Big Ten individual champion in platform diving. While at Indiana, Agostino was a member of five USA Diving National Championships teams and three Big Ten Championships teams.
Agostino has been coaching the diving team at Bloomington High School South since she graduated from Indiana with her bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2012. She has also been working as a chiropractic assistant and rehab specialist at the Osmon Chiropractic Center, where she managed the rehab department, trained assistants, and worked with patients.
“With her very impressive diving background at Indiana, Gabby will add a significant amount of knowledge and excitement to our diving program,” said Persson. “She is up to the task to build and develop our diving program, which aligns with the ambitious goals that I have for our current diver and future Rocket divers.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Toledo swimming and diving program,” said Agostino. “Toledo has a great program and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to make an impact. I am looking forward to meeting the team and sharing my experiences with them. I am excited for a great season.”
Swimming news courtesy of Toledo Swimming & Diving.