Amherst College graduate Malena Gatti has been hired as the first head swimming coach at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.
Maine Maritime Academy Athletic Director Steve Peed announced that Gatti will direct the men’s and women’s teams during their first season of NCAA competition.
Gatti joins the Mariners program from Colby College in Waterville, where she had served as a member of coach Tom Burton’s staff for three years.
“Malena is a strong leader with a clear vision for Maine Maritime swimming that aligns perfectly with my vision for our newest program,” Peed said in a release. “She is highly intelligent, incredibly thoughtful, and well-versed in her sport. I truly believe we have caught a rising star in the profession.”
Peed noted that MMA’s newest coach was selected from a competitive pool that included candidates with head collegiate experience.
“Coach Gatti inspired the committee and we are confident that she will inspire our pioneering swimmers in a similar fashion,” Peed said.
In a telephone interview, Gatti explained that one of her first priorities will be the establishment of a positive team culture, a team and individual swimmer work ethic, and a communal environment.
“Before we talk about training, we need to define who we want Maine Maritime swimming to be,” Gatti said.
Peed said MMA’s swim roster for 2018-2019 already includes 23 men and 12 women.
“I am really excited to see what the swimmers can do with high level training techniques,” Gatti added.
Before Colby, Gatti served as an assistant coach at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School in Massachusetts. She also coached at Ransom Everglades School in Florida.
Gatti, a 2014 Amherst grad, competed for two years in the butterfly and the individual medley events for the highly regarded program. She also participated in rowing.
“I am very excited to be joining the Maine Maritime Academy community and particularly to be signing on as the first-ever head coach for Mainers Swimming,” Gatti said in a release.
Gatti, whose duties will include managing the MMA pool, is scheduled to begin her new duties on July 9. She also is studying for a master’s of business administration degree at Thomas College in Waterville.
Competing as an independent NCAA team next season, MMA has scheduled meets with Gordon College, Colby Sawyer, Norwich, Brandeis and Merrimack. In addition, the Mariners will race at the Maine State Meet with Colby, Bates and Bowdoin and at the UMass Invitational.
The Mariners will conclude their first season in February at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Championships.
Bangor’s Emery honored
Longtime Bangor High School swim coach Philip Emery was inducted recently into the Maine Principals’ Association Hall of Excellence in a ceremony held in Augusta.
Emery, who coached swimming at Bangor High for 46 years, retired from that position in 2015. He taught science at Bangor High and at Garland Street Junior High during his tenure in Bangor.
Under Emery’s leadership, the Rams won 26 state championships, 29 Penobscot Valley Conference titles and one New England championship. His teams won 337 dual meets, lost 39 and tied one.
Emery coached five swimmers and divers who attained All-America recognition and he guided 40 National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Academic All-American.
Emery, who remains active in the NISCA, has been inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, the Maine Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame, and the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Hall of Fame.