Fourteen-time Paralympic gold medalist Erin Popovich has been named the associate director of U.S. Paralympic Swimming, the organization announced Tuesday.
She takes over for Jamie Martin, who has been promoted to associate director of Paralympic operations for the larger U.S. Paralympics organization and will be working directly under Julie Dussliere, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s vice president of Paralympics.
Popovich, 33, competed in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Paralympic Games, then announced her retirement after the 2010 IPC World Swimming Championships. Only five para swimmers – and only two other Americans (Trischa Zorn and Jessica Long) – have racked up more than her 19 medals in the sport.
She competed collegiately for Colorado State, graduating in 2007, and is a two-time winner of the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete with a Disability (including a win in 2005, the first year the award existed). She previously served on the IPC’s Classification Committee as its athlete representative from early 2016 through 2017,