Smith College Women's Swimming

Cooper enters her second year as a graduate assistant swimming and diving coach at Smith College in 2016. Cooper has coached swim teams of all levels, working for Patriot Swim Club (U.S. Swim), Bedford High School (boys and girls varsity and junior varsity teams) and the Thoreau Club Sharks (recreational).  She also acquired her U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Level 2 coach certification, competed as a member of USMS, and founded and coached Thoreau Masters. As an undergraduate, Cooper competed for four years at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth where she was elected a team captain for her junior and senior years and still holds school records in the 50 yard breaststroke and as a part of the 400 and 800 freestyle relays. Cooper earned a bachelors degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2013.

Kundel was a four-year member of the swimming and diving team, setting three school records and earning three All-America Honorable mentions.  He was named the Ithaca College Male Senior Athlete of the Year after his final season. After graduation from Ithaca, Kundel worked with the Boston College Swimming and Diving Team and was assistant aquatics director at Charles River Aquatics. Away from the pool, Kundel participated in multiple triathlons, completed a half marathon, and hiked 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail.  Kundel is a native of Glenmont, N.Y., where he both swam and played baseball in high school. He graduated Cum Laude from Ithaca in 2014 with bachelors of science degree in Health and Physical Education. Zack Kundel enters his second year as a graduate asssistant coach for the Smith swimming and diving team in 2016 after a decorated career at Ithaca College. At Ithaca, Kundel was a four-year member of the swimming and diving team, setting three school records and earning three All-America Honorable mentions.  He was named the Ithaca College Male Senior Athlete of the Year after his final season. After graduation from Ithaca, Kundel worked with the Boston College Swimming and Diving Team and was assistant aquatics director at Charles River Aquatics. Away from the pool, Kundel participated in multiple triathlons, completed a half marathon, and hiked 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail.  Kundel is a native of Glenmont, N.Y., where he both swam and played baseball in high school. He graduated Cum Laude from Ithaca in 2014 with bachelors of science degree in Health and Physical Education.

Bierwert has been Smith's swimming and diving coach since 1977. During the 2015-16 season, Bierwert guided CeCe Arrison '16 to an appearance at the 2016 NCAA Swimming and Diving tournament on the 1m and 3m board. Getting results in and out of the pool, Bierwert has coached three national champions and 31 All-Americans.  Among those All-Americans were five who received the honors every year, including Lisa Marlow '83, Maureen McMahon '84, Monique Fischer '86, Adele Burgess '88, and Dawn Gerken '96.  Under Bierwert's watch, Barbara King was a two time diving national champion, while McMahon was a national champion in the 100 fly in 1984 and Fischer was the national champion in the 200 backstroke in 1986.   Bierwert also led the team to nationals 21 of the last 30 years, including top-10 finishes in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1986. Bierwert was honored as the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Diving Coach of the Year in 2006, and also received the New England Women's Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Diving Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1997. A graduate of MIT, where he competed on the swimming and diving team for four years, Bierwert is past president of the Western Massachusetts Swimming League and the New England Women's Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association. Bierwert served on the board of directors of the College Swim Coaches of America Association and the New England United States Swimming Committee. He has been a member of the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Committee for four years (2011-2015), serving as chair of the Committee for two years. Kim Bierwert Assistant Athletic Director/Head Coach The longest tenured member of the Smith coaching staff, Kim Bierwert has been Smith's swimming and diving coach since 1977. During the 2015-16 season, Bierwert guided CeCe Arrison '16 to an appearance at the 2016 NCAA Swimming and Diving tournament on the 1m and 3m board. Getting results in and out of the pool, Bierwert has coached three national champions and 31 All-Americans.  Among those All-Americans were five who received the honors every year, including Lisa Marlow '83, Maureen McMahon '84, Monique Fischer '86, Adele Burgess '88, and Dawn Gerken '96.  Under Bierwert's watch, Barbara King was a two time diving national champion, while McMahon was a national champion in the 100 fly in 1984 and Fischer was the national champion in the 200 backstroke in 1986.   Bierwert also led the team to nationals 21 of the last 30 years, including top-10 finishes in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1986. Bierwert was honored as the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Diving Coach of the Year in 2006, and also received the New England Women's Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Diving Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1997. A graduate of MIT, where he competed on the swimming and diving team for four years, Bierwert is past president of the Western Massachusetts Swimming League and the New England Women's Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association. Bierwert served on the board of directors of the College Swim Coaches of America Association and the New England United States Swimming Committee. He has been a member of the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Committee for four years (2011-2015), serving as chair of the Committee for two years.