Wheaton College (Ill.) Athletics Director Julie Davis has announced the hiring of Jacob Ayers and Meghan (Daly) Ayers as the new head coaches of the Thunder swimming programs, effective for the 2017-18 academic year. Jacob Ayers will serve as head men's swim coach and Aquatics Director, overseeing all aspects of the Jonathan Lederhouse Natatorium. Meghan Ayers will serve as the head women's swimming coach and oversee the Thunder women's swimming program. The husband-and-wife duo will replace Jon Lederhouse, who announced his retirement in September as head coach of both programs and Aquatics Director after 41 seasons at Wheaton.
The couple mentions of their selection to guide the two Thunder swimming programs, "There is no greater honor than to be entrusted with the legacy that Jon Lederhouse is leaving. The Wheaton Swimming and Diving program has a rich history of achieving athletic excellence and of being a Christ-centered community. We both feel blessed to be given the chance to coach and mentor such a committed group of student-athletes as they pursue high goals in the pool while also being "Free to Swim" for the glory of God."
Athletics Director Julie Davis says of the duo, "In Jacob and Meghan Ayers we have two individuals who have the vision and experience to lead the swimming and diving programs. They bring a rich knowledge of the sport, with a desire to have a team culture that contributes to students' growth in Christian faith and character. I am excited and confident they will continue the legacy of Wheaton swimming."
Jacob Ayers has served as head coach of the Community Unit School District 200 swim teams since 2000, serving as the only coach in the program's history. He was recognized as an IHSA Sectional Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009. Since 2004, Ayers has also coached and operated Wheaton Swim Club, Inc., a local age-group swimming club that has produced numerous state finalists, collegiate All-Americans, and three Olympic Trials qualifiers.
Jacob Ayers is a 1997 graduate of Wheaton, earning a B.A. in German Language and Literature. He served as a team captain of the 1996-97 Wheaton squad that won a CCIW Championship. He is a five-time CCIW Champion in individual events and a member of five CCIW champion relay squads.
Jacob Ayers notes, "Wheaton's swimming and diving programs have always enjoyed a high level of success. My goals for the program from a competitive standpoint would be to continue that success by annually being in contention for a CCIW team title; qualifying individuals each year for the NCAA Championships; and ultimately aiming for national top-ten team finishes. From a broader perspective, I hope to achieve those goals by helping each athlete reach their potential. And in an even broader sense, I hope the team will continue to be known on campus and throughout the CCIW as a community of Christ-centered leaders who show God's love to the wider world."
Meghan Ayers has served as an assistant men's and women's swimming coach at Wheaton since 2013. In her time with the Thunder program, Wheaton has won five CCIW Championships and the women's program has had two top-15 finishes at the NCAA Division III National Championships. She has served as a coach and private lessons coordinator with the Wheaton Swim Club since 2005.
Meghan Ayers swam at the College of Charleston for two years, where she served as the team captain as a sophomore before returning to Illinois to finish her collegiate swimming career at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC). At UIC Ayers was a consolation finalist at the Horizon League Championships.
Meghan Ayers earned her B.A. in Classical Languages and Literature from University of Illinois-Chicago in 2007. She attained a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Wheaton in 2016.
"As the women's coach, I hope to continue and deepen the women's swimming and diving team's culture of swimming excellence with Christ at the center," notes Ayers. She continues, "This position provides me with a unique opportunity to mentor the women's team in their spiritual growth while pushing our student-athletes to excel in the pool. I look forward to working with our current swimmers and recruiting high caliber athletes to continue keeping Wheaton at the top of the conference and well represented at the NCAA meet."
