California University of Pennsylvania Women's Swimming

Denny begins his 14th season as head coach of the Cal U womens swimming program. Last year, the Vulcans placed eighth at the PSAC Championships to record the best finish of the womens-only programs for the 11th time in 13 years. Cal U qualified 11 swimmers for the league meet and for the fifth-straight year the Vulcans featured a PSAC individual champion. Also, a Cal U swimmer was a multiple-event champion for the eighth time in program history and the Vulcans boasted the PSAC Championships MVP and Swimmer of the Year for only the second time in team history. Jade Arganbright won the 200 IM with a new school record of 2 minutes, 3.95 seconds, 100 breaststroke and the 200 breaststroke with another school record of 2:16.16. Cal U swimmers posted five new all-time top-5 times, plus one new all-time top-five relay split. Arganbright represented Cal U at the 2015 NCAA Championships and placed second in the finals of 100 Breaststroke and set a school record with a time of 1:02.35. She also earned All-America honors in the 200 breaststroke and reset the school record during the preliminaries after touching the wall in 2:15.54.   Since arriving at Cal U, Denny has mentored 16 individuals that were awarded NCAA All-America and NCAA All-America Honorable Mention in 42 different events, 20 individual PSAC champions, two PSAC relay titles, three PSAC Championship meet and three PSAC overall, three individual NCAA National Champions and one NCAA Division II national record.   In addition to their success in the pool, the Vulcans have also excelled in the classroom. Cal U has been honored as a Scholar All-America Team for 13-consecutive years by the College Swimming Coaches Association of American (CSCAA) and 10 members of the 2014-15 team were recognized as PSAC Scholar-Athletes. Seven swimmers from last years team received the D2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Award marking the third-straight year swimmers have been recognized. Originally from Derry, Pennsylvania, Denny began his swimming career at Kiski Prep School before enrolling at West Virginia. He completed his bachelors degree in secondary education from WVU in 1982 before earning his masters degree in education from Long Island in 1991.   With the Mountaineers, Denny was a qualifier for the NCAA Championships in the 1650 freestyle in both 1980 and 1981. A co-captain in 1981, he held WVU natatorium record in the 1000 (9:22.01 - 1979) for nearly 36 years and still holds the 1650 (15:34.07 - 1980) freestyle record. He also held the Penn State natatorium record in the 1650-yard freestyle (15:23.40) for 19 years and held the Atlantic 10 Conference record in the 1650-yard freestyle (15:34.07 - 1980) until the 2013 A-10 Conference Championships.   During his time at WVU, Denny placed third in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 1978 National Junior Olympics in Santa Clara, California, before finishing 13th in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials in Irvine, California.   He started his coaching career in 1983 as graduate assistant with the Mountaineers under head coach Kevin Gilson. A year later, Denny joined the coaching staff at the U.S. Naval Academy. After four seasons at Navy, he returned to Kiski as head coach in 1988. The following year, he returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy, where he stayed for three seasons. Following his time at the Military Academy, Denny accepted the head-coaching position of the mens and womens swimming programs at Fairmont State.   Denny guided the Fighting Falcons from their transition of NAIA to NCAA Division II in 1995. Under his leadership, Fairmont State had 19 swimmers earn NAIA All-America honors in 59 events from 1993-95, including the mens 200 butterfly National Champion in 1995. After the transition to NCAA Division II, Denny guided nine of his swimmers to individual All-America recognition in 29 events from 1995-2001 and an 11th-place finish in the team standings by the 1999 womens team. The Fairmont State teams were recognized for their exemplary individual and team academic achievements by the CSCAA for five-straight years.

An alumnus of the program and a veteran head coach at the NCAA Division II level, April Gitzen enters her seventh year as head swimming coach at California (PA) during the 2025-26 season.   Gitzen, formerly April Staniszewski '09, '10, previously served as the head coach of the men's and women's swimming programs at West Virginia Wesleyan for eight seasons. She was tabbed the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Coach of the Year three times over her last two years, receiving the laurel for men's swimming in both 2018 and 2019 and women's swimming in 2019. A native of Pittsburgh, Gitzen aided in the development of Gabby Miller and Karley Owens who both recorded multiple all-time top-five times in school history. Miller became the first swimmer in nearly a decade to compete at the NCAA Championships in 2025. Additionally, Miller registered three podium finishes at the PSAC Championships last year and became the first swimmer in eight years to earn All-PSAC honors by placing second in the 50 freestyle with the second-fastest time in school history. Owens posted a trio of top-five times in school history and accounted for over 75 points as an individual at the 2020 PSAC Championships. She qualified for the championship finals in both the 200 breaststroke and 400 IM, placing fifth in each event, while tallying the second-fastest time in school history in the 200 breaststroke and registered the third-best time in the 400 IM. Gitzen has led the Vulcans to a combined 35-19 record in dual meets in five full seasons. Cal served as the host school for the 2020 PSAC Championships before finishing seventh the following year at a modified league championships. The Vulcans have received College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Team status every spring under Gitzen. Over the last three years, a total of 12 swimmers have earned CSC Academic All-District honors in the new structure for the Academic All-America program that placed a maximum number of four women’s swimming nominees per institution. Gitzen directed both West Virginia Wesleyan swimming programs to a MEC Championship in 2019 at the GMAC/MEC Championships in Canton, Ohio. The Bobcats finished in third place in the men's standings, while the women's program placed fifth overall – the MEC and GMAC each recognize the top finisher from their respective conference as a champion. West Virginia Wesleyan featured a combined 28 All-MEC individual recipients, while eight relays combined to also garner all-league status.   In 2019, Gitzen mentored both the MEC Men's Swimmer of the Year in Arthur Assfeld and the MEC Women's Freshman of the Year in Rylee Jackson. Assfeld recorded the fastest time in the league in four events and captured the 50 freestyle title at the GMAC/MEC Championships. The Bobcats repeated as MEC Men's Champions in 2019, as the program accomplished the feat the previous year in its first season as a league member.   Prior to joining the MEC, West Virginia Wesleyan competed as members of the Appalachian Swimming Conference. Gitzen was chosen the ASC Women's Coach of the Year in 2017 after leading the Bobcats to a third-place finish. Gitzen served as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) advisor at West Virginia Wesleyan for five-plus years and was also an adjunct professor in the multiple departments on campus.   A product of South Park, Gitzen competed for the Vulcans in the freestyle, breaststroke and IM events from 2006-09 and finished her career with three individual school records. She earned All-PSAC status as a senior in the 400 IM and 400 medley relay with both then-school record times.   Gitzen competed at the 2009 NCAA Championships in Houston, Texas, in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and 400 IM, plus as a member of the 400 medley relay. She received College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America honors that season.   Following graduation, Gitzen spent nearly two years as a swim coach at South Park Aquatic Club before joining West Virginia Wesleyan as head coach in 2011. Gitzen earned her bachelor's degree in sport management from Cal in 2009 before completing her master's degree the following year in sport management with a concentration in intercollegiate athletic administration.   Gitzen and her husband Mike reside in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and have two daughters, Emery and Lynden.