Jennifer Brinegar, a Bloomington native and former standout swimmer at Indiana University, has been appointed as the new head swimming coach at Franklin College. Brinegar, who represented the United States in the 1976 Olympics, takes over the program from Zach Rayce, who recently left to become the aquatic director and head coach at Indian Creek High School.
In a statement released on September 1, Franklin College athletic director Lance Marshall expressed excitement about Brinegar's hiring. "Jennifer Brinegar is one of the most accomplished names in the history of Indiana swimming, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Franklin College. Her championship pedigree, years of coaching success, and her deep roots in this state's swimming community make her the ideal person to lead our program into its next chapter. Our student-athletes are going to learn from someone who has competed and coached at the highest level, and that’s a tremendous opportunity for Griz athletics," Marshall said.
Brinegar's swimming journey began at Bloomington South High School, but she later moved to Louisville, Kentucky, to pursue more competitive opportunities, as girls swimming was not sanctioned by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) during her early years. At just 15 years old, she made the U.S. Olympic team for the 1976 Games, where she competed in the women’s 200-meter freestyle and contributed to the preliminary heats of the gold-medal-winning 400-meter freestyle relay.
Her impressive career continued with national championships in 1977 and a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships. Additionally, she earned a silver medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the 1979 Pan American Games. Brinegar's collegiate career at Indiana University was equally remarkable, where she captured national titles in the 500 and 1,650-yard freestyles and secured seven Big Ten championships before graduating in 1984. Her contributions to the sport were recognized with her induction into the Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Brinegar holds a law degree from Vanderbilt University and has a strong background in sports management. She returned to Indiana University in 1994, where she worked in the athletic department, eventually rising to the position of senior assistant athletic director by 2021. Her coaching career began in 2009 with the Donner Swim Club in Columbus, Indiana, where she mentored young swimmers, including her sons. Kevin was part of a Division III national championship team at Denison University in 2016, while Michael won a state championship in the 500-meter freestyle and qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic team as a distance freestyler. In 2016, Brinegar also founded the Club Olympia Swim Team.
As the third head coach in Franklin College's swim program history, which began in 2010, Brinegar steps into a successful environment. The women’s team has dominated the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, winning the championship every year since its inception in 2019, while the men’s team has consistently finished as runners-up for six consecutive years. With Brinegar's extensive experience and proven track record, Franklin College looks forward to the next chapter of its swimming program under her leadership.
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