The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA), a professional organization representing high school swim coaches in the United States, has elected its first-ever woman to the position of president-elect.
Diane Hicks-Hughes, the head coach of the Lansing High School (NJ) girls’ team, has been voted to take charge of the organization in 2019. Under NISCA’s system, an individual is elected as president-elect, a position in which they serve for 2 years before ascending to the role of president.
Mark Onstott from Illinois high school powerhouse New Trier took the post of president this week, where he will serve until March of 2019. At that point, Hicks-Hughes will take over.
Onstott, a recipient of the prestigious Paragon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), won 7 high school state swimming championships with the New Trier boys. He’s also spent 4 years as the head coach and 16 as an assistant with the New Trier girls’ team.
Onstott retired at the end of the 2013-2014 season: the first in more than a decade that didn’t see New Trier land atop the podium.
Hicks-Hughes has had a similar level of success in 37 years at Lansing High. Her career dual meet record is 368-56-1, 23 IAC conference titles, and 15 section titles.
This past season, even without a home pool while their’s was undergoing inspections and renovations, the team went 10-0 in dual meets and won their 4th consecutive Section 4 Class C title.
Hicks-Hughes has also had a significant administrative impact on the sport nationally, which is most relevant to her new role. From 2010-2014, she served as the Chairperson for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming & Diving Rules Committee. She’s also served as the New York State Public High School Association girls’ swimming & diving coordinator.
Braden is being a little generous with my coaching record. I coached 7 state championship boys teams while at New Trier. And while we did have a decade long streak of trophy (top 3) finishes, that streak ended my last year at NT. Also, I am not a member of the ISHOF. I was presented with the Paragon Award for outstanding contributions to competive swimming in 2013 by the ISHOF but not inducted. I am not holding my breath for that call! Also, while I coached the NT girls team for 20 years, 16 as an assistant and 4 as head coach, and we won 6 state titles, we did not win a championship while I was head coach. Those… Read more »
Best of luck. Coach Gigliotti
I am sure Diane will do a great job, with her 2 yrs of training before taking over as Pres. I have been a member of NISCA for over 50 years and am sure that she will learn from past Pres. If I can ever be of any help don’t hesitate. Retired. Coach Paul Gigliotti
All due respect to Mark who is a great Coach and gentleman but Evanston, Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central won championships during that period. Mark won Boys State 7 times between 2004 and 2013.
Congrats Diane……….NISCA will remain in good hands