Stephanie Juncker has been named as an assistant coach for the University of Louisville Swimming and Diving team, according to Cardinal head coach Arthur Albiero.
Juncker, a former captain of the UofL swimming and diving team from 2008-12, returns to Louisville after spending a year at the University of Arkansas as the swimming and diving team’s graduate assistant director of operations.
“We are thrilled to welcome Stephanie back home to the Cardinal Swimming and Diving Family. I believe she is the perfect fit for our staff,” said Albiero. “She experienced tremendous success as a student-athlete and team leader during her career as an UofL student-athlete. She was elected Senior Co-Captain by her peers, and she graduated from our program as one of the most respected individuals I have worked with in my 18 years of college coaching experience. She is the definition of Cardinal Pride and as a product of our program, she is a great representation of what UofL Swimming and Diving is about: passion, hard work, and the constant quest for improvement.”
While at Arkansas, Juncker gained valuable experience both coaching on deck and behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis. She helped guide the Razorbacks to a sixth place finish at the Southeastern Conference Championships, and took seven student-athletes to NCAA’s. Juncker excelled in the classroom while pursuing a Master’s degree in Recreation and Sport Management, along with participating and coordinating numerous volunteering and community service activities.
After graduating from the University of Louisville in 2012 with a degree in Sports Administration, she took a position at Fresno State University, in Fresno, Calif., as a communications intern, overseeing the primary contact duties for women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and the secondary contact for men’s basketball.
From 2009-12, Juncker was a swim coach and counselor at Bauerle Bulldog summer swimming and diving camps in Athens, Ga. She instructed more than 300 beginner-level swimmers during her tenure. She gained additional experience as the head swim coach at Polo Field Country Club in Louisville in the summer of 2011 and as an assistant meet director for the Cardinal Aquatics IMX Challenge in 2009 and 2010.
“We are excited to welcome Stephanie back into the Cardinal family,” said Christine Simatacolos, associate athletic director /swimming and diving administrator. “She is a great addition to our talented swimming staff. She was a respected leader during her time here as a student-athlete, which coupled with her passion for the university, athletic department and sport of swimming will absolutely enhance our staff and team.”
Juncker served as a captain during her senior year at U of L and was the recipient of Central Cardinal Club Leadership Award, presented annually to the senior female student-athlete who has best shown leadership on and off the field at Louisville. As a swimmer who specialized in the individual medley and breaststroke, Juncker led Louisville to back-to-back Big East championships in 2011 and 2012 and was named an All-Big East performer in 2012. She was named to the Big East Academic Honor Roll from 2010-12, and was a BIG EAST SAAC representative in 2010. She also helped organize volunteering and community service opportunities for the team. She qualified for the BIG EAST Championships in all four years, competing in the 200-breast and the 200- and 400-IM.
“I am so excited to return to Louisville to rejoin the Cardinal Family,” said Juncker. “This is an incredible opportunity for me to get to come back and coach at my alma mater. I absolutely loved my experience as a Louisville student-athlete and I can't wait to help make the current and future swimming and diving student-athletes experience even better. I am so thankful to Coach Albiero and his entire staff for believing in me and providing me with this opportunity and I can't wait to continue on this amazing journey of keeping the national spotlight on Louisville Swimming and Diving. I also want to thank Tom Jurich, Christine Simatacolos and the rest of the athletic department administration for supporting swimming and diving and giving us all the opportunities to succeed. Today our slogan really rings true: Louisville First, Cards Forever!”
Juncker hails from Bogart, Ga., where she attended North Oconee High School. In 2007, she was the runner-up at the Georgia Senior State Championships in the grueling 400-IM, turning in a time of 5:01 (LCM). Besides being her high school's team captain, she also attained All-Area Team, All-American and three-time MVP honors. Stephanie had a Spring National qualification time in the 400-IM, and was versatile athlete out of the pool as well, having been a four-time letter-winner in Varsity tennis and a two-time letter-winner in basketball. She also swam for the Athens Bulldog Swim team where she was coached by Harvey Humphries. She was a two-time Scholastic All-American and member of NHS.
