WINTER PARK, Fla. (August 19, 2016) – Rollins College Director of Athletics Pennie Parker has announced the hiring of Kyle Berg as Head Coach of the Tars men’s and women’s swimming programs.
“We were able to amass an incredibly talented pool of candidates and Kyle’s experience and enthusiasm stood out from the group,” said Parker. “I am very excited to have him join the Rollins family and lead our student-athletes in the pool and classroom.”
Berg comes to Rollins after spending the last year as Assistant Women’s Swim Coach at Northwestern University. He assisted in all aspects of the Wildcats’ program, coordinating with strength and conditioning, athletic training and professional staff. He coached five student-athletes to US Olympic Trial time standards and 17 NCAA Division I “B” standard performances.
“I am honored to join the Rollins College family and I am excited to lead the Tars in the pursuit of the highest level of academics and athletics,” said Berg. “I’d like to thank Pennie Parker, President Cornwell, and everyone involved in the hiring process for giving me this opportunity.”
Prior to Northwestern, Berg served as Assistant Men’s and Women’s Swim Coach and Aquatics Director at Florida Atlantic. He worked with the Owls sprinters, leading to six individual and five relay school records during his time in Boca Raton.
Berg broke into coaching at NCAA Division III powerhouse Kenyon College, spending three seasons as Assistant Men’s and Women’s Swim Coach. He was the men’s recruiting coordinator, resulting in the Lords finishing as National runner-up in 2012 and NCAA Division III National Champions in 2013 and 2014. The women’s team earned a fourth place finish and back-to-back National runners-ups in that span. In Berg’s three years, Kenyon posted 10 individual national champions, eight relay national champions, 68 NCAA All-American and eighth NCAA Postgraduate scholarship recipients.
Berg is a 2010 graduate of Boston University with a B.S. in Heath Sciences. He also earned a Masters of Science in Sports Management from SUNY Cortland in 2013. As a student-athlete for the Terriers, Berg was a four-year letter winner on the men’s swim team, competing in the America East Conference Championships. He also served as Vice President of the BU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and three times was named to the America East Honor Roll.
Berg inherits the Tars program from Dr. Rich Morris, who has taken a Senior Lecturer position at Rollins. Morris led the College’s club program for five years before moving the program to NCAA Division II in 1995. He accumulated more than 375 dual meet wins and coached All-Americans Kamel Tejeda and Audrey Kula. Morris was also instrumental in growing collegiate swimming in the state of Florida and it being a recognized sport by the Sunshine State Conference in 2011.
Rollins swimming will have its annual Alumni meet on Oct. 22 and officially open the season at home on Oct. 28 against Saint Leo.
This swimming story is courtesy of Rollings College Athletics.