Dartmouth's search for a new coach of the women's swim team came to a halt on Monday, when the athletic department announced the hiring of Joann Brislin to head the team.
Brislin fills the void left by Betsy Mitchell, who, after leading the women to a team-record sixth-place finish at the Eastern Swimming Championships this year, quit to pursue post-graduate work at Harvard University.
"We are very excited to bring in a woman of Joann's caliber," athletic director Dick Jaeger said in a press release. "With her coming from a school that competes in one of the most powerful swimming conferences in the country, and given her individual spirit and expertise, we are confident that the Dartmouth women's swim program will continue to improve."
Brislin, who is in Washington and was unavailable for comment, brings with her a strong background in the sport, including her 16-year long tenure as an assistant swim coach at The University of Washington, which has historically possessed a formidable swimming program. She has also served as head coach of the Husky Masters Swim Team, and led a number of other competitive camps and clubs in the Washington area.
The Dartmouth campus is no stranger to Brislin either, as she has worked as an instructor at Dartmouth swimming camps in the past.
"She's had some really good experience out there in Washington," Jaeger said. "She seems to be a real dynamic person who promises to breed a great deal of enthusiasm and knowledge... into the program."