Messiah College Women's Swimming

Luley begins her ninth season as the head mens and womens swimming coach at Messiah College in 2016-17, looking to improve on what has been a continual wave of success since the programs inaugural season in 2008-09. In just eight years of existence, Messiah swimming can already boast more than 30 individual or relay MAC Champions, five MAC Rookies of the Year, and MAC Swimmer of the Year, and steadily-improving finishes in the MAC Championships. In each of the past three seasons the Messiah women have earned MAC Championships. In 2013-14, the Messiah woman also captured their first-ever MAC Championship, with first-year swimmers Tara Freeman (50 freestyle) and Emily Reale (1650 freestyle) each capturing individual MAC gold. The Falcons repeated the team achievement last season as Freeman (50 freestyle), Reale (1650 freestyle), and first-year swimmer Katie Wingert (200 freestyle, 200 IM) led the charge. Then, in 2016, Emily Reale captured the program's first-ever MAC Swimmer of the Year honor in leading Messiah to a conference-record 832 points to win a third-straight crown. I cant put into words how great each year has been, Luley said. Our swimmers are really starting to see the payoffs for their hard work. There is no question we have exceeded expectations. We have begun to really compete at the conference level, and our improvement over two short seasons has been remarkable. I think everyone within the program is excited about the direction we are moving. We are going to continue to get better and better. Luley arrived to Messiah in 2008 after serving as the Mechanicsburg Area High School head boys and girls swimming coach for the previous two years, serving as Mechanicsburgs varsity assistant coach for the eight years before that. While her first collegiate coaching position, Luley made her presence felt immediately, garnering 16 men and 21 women to the team for the Falcons first season of competition. In year number two, Luley recruited Drew Wissler the 2009-2010 MAC Rookie of the Year and Dylan Holford, the programs first-ever MAC Champion. I am honored to be chosen for this position, Luley said upon her hiring. Its an amazing opportunity to start a program from scratch. Im very excited to be part of the Messiah community. There arent many chances in life to start something from the ground up. I am excited for that challenge. Named the Carlisle Sentinels 2008 Swim Coach of the Year, Luley helped guide her Mechanicsburg girls team to an undefeated, 11-0 record in 2007-2008, leading her boys team to an 8-3 record overall. Mechanicsburg placed swimmers to PIAA State Competition in every year of Luleys tenure as both a head and assistant coach, while she estimates an average of three to four swimmers went on to swim at the college level each year. Luley jointly served as the head coach of the Mechanicsburg Swim Club for three years, a youth program for swimmers ages five to 19. Prior to taking over that club, Luley served as an assistant coach at the prestigious West Shore YMCA for five years. Luley describes her coaching style as nurturing, with a strong emphasis on academics. During her tenure at Mechanicsburg High School, Luleys teams maintained a steady presence on the honor roll. She is a lifetime member of the American Swim Coaches Association and National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association. We need to make our name in the pool, Luley said of her opportunity at Messiah. Im going to encourage kids to be leaders. Its not often that you get a chance to establish something bigger than yourself. Usually you step into a program that already has a history. We have a chance to start a tradition here. And that is truly special. Luley graduated from Penn State University in 1977. She is married to her husband, Rich, and they have four children: Ben, Kate, Anne and Erin. Erin was one of Luleys best swimmers at Mechanicsburg, placing third in 2006 in the 500-meter freestyle state championships and sixth in the 200-meter freestyle championships.

Luley is in her fourth year as an assistant with Messiah's swim team in 2016-17. Luley swam for Penn State from 2006-2010, where she competed at the Big Ten championships, was named Academic All-Big Ten three times, and was named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar twice.  Erin graduated from the Schreyer Honor College at Penn State in 2010 with a degree in Animal BioScience. She now works full time as a veterinarian in State College, Pa., but enjoys staying active in the swimming community.  As a swimmer for Mechanicsburg in her interscholastic days, Erin was an All-State selection in 2006 with a third place and a sixth place finish at PIAA state championships.  Erin's previous coaching experience includes three years as an assistant coach with her former club team, West Shore YMCA, and two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach with the University of Pennsylvania's swim team while in veterinary school at Penn.   

Zappe is in her fifth year as assistant swim coach for the Falcons in 2016-17. Originally from Bloomsburg, Pa., Zappe attended Penn State University to obtain her undergraduate degree in Quantitative Business Analysis. Later she acquired her Master's Degree in Business Administration from Bucknell University. Prior to that Zappe was a district champion swimmer in high school. Other accomplishments as an athlete include top 10 finishes in several events at the USMS National Championships and YMCA Master's National Championships. She regularly competes in open water events and has completed the Alcatraz 1.5 mile non-wetsuit, 10k Bridge-to-Bridge in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe relay, MIMS (Manhattan) relay, Catalina relay, and recently a 15.7 miler down the Hudson in the 8Bridges series. Zappe had a 20-year career in higher education IT at Bucknell prior to returning to coaching in 2008. She then became assistant coach at the Sunbury YMCA until 2011 and West Shore YMCA until 2012.  Zappe became a certified Total Immersion swim coach in 2010 and is now owner and head coach of Swim Your Best, coaching triathletes, aspiring triathletes, and fitness swimmers to swim more efficiently, as well as providing technique coaching to competitive swimmers. She has also coached at several Total Immersion Open Water Camps in Maho Bay, St. John and the Diabetes Training Camp. Zappe has coached numerous YMCA state champions and national qualifiers.   Zappe, her husband Chris, and sons Matt and Jack reside in Mechanicsburg.