Lebanon Valley College Women's Swimming

Gardner will enter her 20th year as the mens and womens swimming coach and aquatic coordinator at Lebanon Valley College. She began her tenure at the Valley in 1992, teaching physical education swim classes. She graduated from Gettysburg College with a sociology/political science degree in 1977. A 2011 inductee to the Lebanon Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Gardner first instructed swimming in 1974 and has continued doing so at the Annville-Cleona Community Pool and other area pools.   Gardner is the most successful coach in LVC swimming history, having built a squad full of team pride and exceptional determination. In her first season, with just 20 swimmers, Gardner qualified two swimmers in six events at the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships. A year later, as her team grew to 44 swimmers, her qualifiers did as well, qualifying eight in 13 events. In 2002-03, for the first time in school history, Lebanon Valley had at least one swimmer qualify for the MAC Championships in all 26 events.   In 2015-16, graduate student Jan Ikeda '15, DPT'17 capped her outstanding career by winning a pair of MAC Championships in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard butterfly, swimming a pair of NCAA B cut times in the process. She was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection after being named the MAC Womens Swimming Scholar-Athlete of the Year; the first LVC swimmer to earn the prestigious honor. As a freshman in 2011-12, Ikeda made history as LVC's first-ever female MAC champion and NCAA provisional qualifier, winning titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly. She followed that up with two more medals in 2012-13, then repeated her championship double in 2013-14 as a junior. Under Gardners tutelage, Ikeda set 15 program records during her career.   Mens swimmer Ian Lloyd had a breakout year under Gardners watch in 2015-16 as well. As a sophomore, he earned three First-Team All-MAC accolades after winning a silver medal at the conference championships in the 100-yard butterfly, and a pair of bronze medals in the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard IM.   Freshman Erica Wise was the third LVC swimmer to clinch a MAC Championship in 2015-16 under Gardners guidance, as the rookie won gold in a thrilling 50-yard freestyle race. Wise was one of six mens and womens swimmers to earn either First or Second-Team All-MAC honors in 2015-16 under Gardners tutelage.   In 2009, Gardner was honored by the Annville Rotary for her outstanding community involvement as she and her husband, Jim, were instrumental in teaching hundreds of local youth to swim. In addition, her swim teams have been active in local Special Olympics, frequently running swim meets for Lebanon-area Special Olympians.   The Gardners reside in Annville, Pa. Their daughter, Mary Rebecca, is a 2013 graduate and was a four-year swimmer at LVC; their son, David, preceded her as a 2009 graduate of the College and was also four-year swim team member. In 2016-17, Mary Gardner will enter her 20th year as the mens and womens swimming coach and aquatic coordinator at Lebanon Valley College. She began her tenure at the Valley in 1992, teaching physical education swim classes. She graduated from Gettysburg College with a sociology/political science degree in 1977. A 2011 inductee to the Lebanon Valley Sports Hall of Fame, Gardner first instructed swimming in 1974 and has continued doing so at the Annville-Cleona Community Pool and other area pools.   Gardner is the most successful coach in LVC swimming history, having built a squad full of team pride and exceptional determination. In her first season, with just 20 swimmers, Gardner qualified two swimmers in six events at the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships. A year later, as her team grew to 44 swimmers, her qualifiers did as well, qualifying eight in 13 events. In 2002-03, for the first time in school history, Lebanon Valley had at least one swimmer qualify for the MAC Championships in all 26 events.   In 2015-16, graduate student Jan Ikeda '15, DPT'17  capped her outstanding career by winning a pair of MAC Championships in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard butterfly, swimming a pair of NCAA B cut times in the process. She was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection after being named the MAC Womens Swimming Scholar-Athlete of the Year; the first LVC swimmer to earn the prestigious honor. As a freshman in 2011-12, Ikeda made history as LVC's first-ever female MAC champion and NCAA provisional qualifier, winning titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly. She followed that up with two more medals in 2012-13, then repeated her championship double in 2013-14 as a junior. Under Gardners tutelage, Ikeda set 15 program records during her career.   Mens swimmer Ian Lloyd had a breakout year under Gardners watch in 2015-16 as well. As a sophomore, he earned three First-Team All-MAC accolades after winning a silver medal at the conference championships in the 100-yard butterfly, and a pair of bronze medals in the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard IM.   Freshman Erica Wise was the third LVC swimmer to clinch a MAC Championship in 2015-16 under Gardners guidance, as the rookie won gold in a thrilling 50-yard freestyle race. Wise was one of six mens and womens swimmers to earn either First or Second-Team All-MAC honors in 2015-16 under Gardners tutelage.   In 2009, Gardner was honored by the Annville Rotary for her outstanding community involvement as she and her husband, Jim, were instrumental in teaching hundreds of local youth to swim. In addition, her swim teams have been active in local Special Olympics, frequently running swim meets for Lebanon-area Special Olympians.   The Gardners reside in Annville, Pa. Their daughter, Mary Rebecca, is a 2013 graduate and was a four-year swimmer at LVC; their son, David, preceded her as a 2009 graduate of the College and was also four-year swim team member.