Behm, Donovan, and Novell To Join ASCA Board of Directors; Murray and Oesting Re-Elected

The American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) announced the five coaches who have been elected to the 12-member ASCA Board of Directors. 

All U.S. members of ASCA were able to electronically vote on the eight-person ballot September 7-8, with the results announced soon after at the World Clinic in Dallas. 

Mike Murray, the head coach of the Victor Swim Club in Victor, New York, was re-elected as President after taking the position over from Nitro’s Mike Koleber last fall. Also winning re-election was Megan Oesting of Bend Swim Club, who will move from a regular board position to the Vice President role.

Oesting replaces former Vice President Doug Wharam (Nashville Aquatic Club), whose term came to an end this year. The other outgoing members with terms up this year was Braden Holloway (NC State) and Mitch Dalton (Texas), leaving a total of three positions open. 

ASCA announced Herbie Behm, Paul Donovan, and MacKenzie Novell as the coaches who will fill the vacant seats on the board. All three were candidates proposed by the governance committee and have terms that will end in 2026.

Behm is an associate head coach at Arizona State University, which is coming off a runner-up finish at the 2023 Men’s NCAA Division I Championships. Behm’s election makes it two college coaches on the board, as he joins Ohio State’s Bill Dorenkott.

On the club side, Donovan is the Director of Competitive for the Jersey Wahoos, which was designated as a 2022 Gold Medal club under USA Swimming’s Club Excellence program. Novell is the longest active coach for Fort Collins Area Swim Team, where she currently leads their ‘Ascend’ group.

THE NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• President – Mike Murray, Victor Swim Club
• Vice President – Megan Oesting, Bend Swim Club
• Treasurer – Ellen Johnston, Westport/Weston Family YMCA Water Rats Swim Team
• Secretary – Mohamed Abdelaal, Razorback Aquatic Club Aquahawgs 
• Bill Dorenkott, Ohio State University 
• Mike Koleber, Nitro Swimming 
• Emily Melina, Lake Oswego Swim Club 
• Tim Hill, SHARKS Swim Club 
• Ian Murray, Dynamo Swim Club
• Herbie Behm, Arizona State University
• MacKenzie Novell, Fort Collins Area Swim Team
• Paul Donovan, Jersey Wahoos