The pressures of motherhood have led two top female coaches to choose their immediate family over their swimming family. Boise State head coach Kriistin Hill and California women's assistant coach Kristen Cunnane have both stepped down. Hill's resignation will become effective August 12th whlie Cunnane's decision was announced today by head coach Teri McKeever.
“After nine wonderful years of building a program here at Boise State, and 18 years of college coaching, I have decided that it is time to spend more time with my young children and my husband,” Hill said. “They have all sacrificed so much to allow me to pursue this dream as a Division I college coach, and now I feel a strong pull to give more back to them and allow our family to spend more time together.
The decision to leave had weighed on Cunnane for some time. Explained McKeever, "I wanted to give her the time and space to make her decision after the 2014-15 season, and she recently informed me that she has elected to move into a different stage in her life. I believe that the way she arrived at this decision honors her family and honors our program."
The moves highlight the challenge many female coaches face in trying to balance family life and an all-consuming coaching career. At the May CSCAA convention, no fewer than six female coaches representing four of the six Major conferences discussed leaving coaching in order to devote more time to their family. One woman who has worked with coaches to help maintain that balance - Kathie Wickstrand - will be joining Cal as McKeever's assistant for the upcoming year. Wickstrand has been a consultant for the Cal women over the past several years and was previously head coach at Northwestern and Purdue.
“Coaching is a passion of mine, particularly at the college level where we can help swimmers realize their dreams, and I hope to return to the sport in the future. Boise State is a phenomenal place and I will miss the support and relationships with our administration, fellow coaches, and each student-athlete I have been fortunate to work with. I'm very appreciative that they selected me to start the program back in 2006, and I will truly miss working with the outstanding team and their families coming in this fall.”
Hill became the program's first head coach when the sport was added on June 27, 2006. Over her nine seasons at the helm, Hill guided the Broncos to four conference championships (2010-11 in the WAC, 2012 and 2014 in the Mountain West) and had swimmers compete at the past five NCAA Championships. She was twice named conference coach of the year, earning consecutive honors from the WAC (2010) and Mountain West (2011).
Her tutelage has helped produce four swimmers who have earned five All-America honorable mentions, and in all her swimmers have claimed 34 conference titles.
Her Bronco teams were annually among the top academic performers in the country, being recognized as a Scholar All-America Team by the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) seven years running (2009-15). In each of the past two academic years, Boise State swimming and diving has had 14 student-athletes earn CSCAA Scholar All-America recognition.
Just last week, Boise State swimming and diving led all Bronco winter and spring programs with 23 student-athletes represented on the Mountain West Spring All-Academic Team.
A national search for Hill’s replacement will begin immediately.
