Adams State University Men's Swimming

Adams State University Athletic Director Katelyn Smith has announced hiring a long-time San Luis Valley swim coach Melinda Hunzeker to lead the Grizzly swim team effective Dec. 13, 2021. Hunzeker joins the Grizzlies after the resignation of Head Coach Eddie Ortiz earlier this season.   Hunzeker is none too new to the Grizzly swimming program as she served as the assistant swim coach for the Grizzlies from August 2009 until May 2015. During her tenure, she helped run practices and helped recruit new swimmers, in addition to running the pool facilities inside Plachy Hall.   “We are so excited to bring Melissa on as our next Head Coach to lead our Swim program,” said Smith. “Her passion and energy for the sport and the program will be essential to moving it forward and in the right direction. “   She then became the head swimming coach for the high school swimming program sponsored by the Colorado High School Activates Association. The program was housed at Sierra Grande and Sargent High Schools. Since there was only one swim program in the entire SLV, Hunzeker was the head coach for 20-30 girls across the Valley. She wrote all the workouts for swimmers ranging in skill level from beginners to advanced.   During that time, Hunzeker was also the head coach of a club swimming team, Ski Hi Aquatics. She manages and coordinates a team of 75 swimmers from ages 5-18.   Since 2010, Hunzeker has been the swimming lessons coordinator and pool manager at Splashland in Alamosa, where she manages 6-20 employees.   Hunzeker will take over the Grizzlies, who are next scheduled to compete on Saturday, January 15, with two duals at Colorado School of Mines. Then, they will compete at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships on Feb. 9-Feb. 12 at the El Pomar Natatorium in Grand Junction, Colo. Hunzeker obtained her degree in floral design from the Floral Design Institute in Portland, Ore., and worked as a wedding florist. She has two children, Graham and Grayson.

France took over as the Grizzlies' head women's swimming coach in March of 2011. At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, France was named RMAC Women's Coach of the Year as he guided the ASU women to a third place finish at the RMAC Championships. That same season, Kelsey Baggs was named RMAC Freshman of the Year. In 2014-15, France coached another RMAC Freshman of the Year in Alexis Divelbiss. That season France and Divelbiss reached the NCAA Division II Championships. At the meet, Divelbiss garnered All-American status by swimming to a school record in the 200 IM. It marked the first All-American student-athlete for France as head coach for Adams State.  Before taking the helm of the Adams State swim programs, France served as an assistant coach and aquatics manager at Colorado Mesa University since 2008. At Colorado Mesa, France worked primarily with the backstrokers, flyers and individual medley swimmers. While with the Mavericks, France recruited more than 100 athletes to Colorado Mesa and helped swimmers to numerous school and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) achievements. More than 500 school records fell while France was on the Mavericks' staff, a time during which the squad also produced six RMAC champions, two all-time RMAC records, 30 NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks and 126 RMAC finalists. Before arriving in Grand Junction, Colo., France occupied the role of head coach at Eastmoor Swim & Tennis in Denver and at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colo. He also gained prior college experience as an assistant at Metro State College from 2005-07 and as an assistant at Colorado College from 2004-05. As a collegiate athlete, France attended St. Cloud State University (Minn.) for one year (1999-2000) before transferring to Metro State following a shoulder injury. In 2 and 1/2 years with the Roadrunners, he became a NCAA D-II national qualifier. He also set school records in the 50 and 100 backstroke at Metro State, and was a member of school record setting 200 and 400 medley relay teams. His 100 backstroke record still stands, but his swimming career was unfortunately cut short in 2003 due to persistent shoulder problems. France was born in Beaufort, S.C., and was given the opportunity to travel the globe due to his father's military career, training and competing in Hong Kong, the Phillipines and Okinawa. He attended Air Academy High School and swam for the Colorado Springs Swim Team. He became a Colorado age group champion, four-time Junior Nationals qualifier, High School All-American and 3-time Colorado High School state runner-up, and helped lead Air Academy to the 1999 Colorado 4A State Championship as a senior. Dan France Head Coach Alma Mater: Mesa State, '11 Twitter:  Dan France took over as the Grizzlies' head women's swimming coach in March of 2011. At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, France was named RMAC Women's Coach of the Year as he guided the ASU women to a third place finish at the RMAC Championships. That same season, Kelsey Baggs was named RMAC Freshman of the Year. In 2014-15, France coached another RMAC Freshman of the Year in Alexis Divelbiss. That season France and Divelbiss reached the NCAA Division II Championships. At the meet, Divelbiss garnered All-American status by swimming to a school record in the 200 IM. It marked the first All-American student-athlete for France as head coach for Adams State.  Before taking the helm of the Adams State swim programs, France served as an assistant coach and aquatics manager at Colorado Mesa University since 2008. At Colorado Mesa, France worked primarily with the backstrokers, flyers and individual medley swimmers. While with the Mavericks, France recruited more than 100 athletes to Colorado Mesa and helped swimmers to numerous school and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) achievements. More than 500 school records fell while France was on the Mavericks' staff, a time during which the squad also produced six RMAC champions, two all-time RMAC records, 30 NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks and 126 RMAC finalists. Before arriving in Grand Junction, Colo., France occupied the role of head coach at Eastmoor Swim & Tennis in Denver and at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colo. He also gained prior college experience as an assistant at Metro State College from 2005-07 and as an assistant at Colorado College from 2004-05. As a collegiate athlete, France attended St. Cloud State University (Minn.) for one year (1999-2000) before transferring to Metro State following a shoulder injury. In 2 and 1/2 years with the Roadrunners, he became a NCAA D-II national qualifier. He also set school records in the 50 and 100 backstroke at Metro State, and was a member of school record setting 200 and 400 medley relay teams. His 100 backstroke record still stands, but his swimming career was unfortunately cut short in 2003 due to persistent shoulder problems. France was born in Beaufort, S.C., and was given the opportunity to travel the globe due to his father's military career, training and competing in Hong Kong, the Phillipines and Okinawa. He attended Air Academy High School and swam for the Colorado Springs Swim Team. He became a Colorado age group champion, four-time Junior Nationals qualifier, High School All-American and 3-time Colorado High School state runner-up, and helped lead Air Academy to the 1999 Colorado 4A State Championship as a senior.