Lawrence University Sports News

Contact: Joe Vanden Acker, Sports Information Director, 920-832-6878

For Immediate Release April 3, 2008

Fleek named Lawrence swimming and diving coach

APPLETON, Wis. -- Andrew Fleek has been named the new head men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Lawrence University, Director of Athletics Robert Beeman announced Thursday.

Fleek comes to Lawrence from the College of Wooster, where he has served as an assistant coach for the last two seasons.

"I'm very, very exicted to join the staff at Lawrence," Fleek said. "I can't tell you how excited I am to work with the athletes that are on the team. To be with students and athletes of that quality will be very rewarding."

A native of Lincoln, Neb., Fleek was a standout swimmer at the University of South Dakota. A four-year letterwinner, he served as team captain and was a 12-time North Central Conference finalist. An all-conference selection in 2001, he was a five-time NCAA "B" qualifier. Fleek was nominated for the school's Male Student Athlete of the Year Award in 2003 and won his team's Most Improved Award in 2000.

"We are very excited to have Drew join us at Lawrence University," Beeman said. "He comes from arguably the toughest Division III swimming conference in the country. His experience competing against Kenyon College and Denison University, both on the recruiting trail and in the pool, will serve us well as we strive to increase our program's visibility and performance levels."

Fleek, who earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and a master's degree in athletic administration from South Dakota, served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2004 and 2005. He also has experience coaching at the high school and club levels.

This past season, Fleek helped guide the Wooster women to a third-place finish and the men to fifth in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships.

The Lawrence women finished second in the team standings at the Midwest Conference Championships this past season, and the men placed fourth. The Vikings return 14 letterwinners, including conference champions Hayley Vatch and Julia Ziege, on the women's team for the 2008-09 season. Conference champion Kyle Griffin leads the nine returning letterwinners for the men's team.