Sturdy tabbed as Grizzlies' swim coach

Sturdy Tabbed as Grizzlies' Swim Coach

Texas A&M grad also to serve as Assistant SID

by Chris Day, Adams State Sports Information Director

ALAMOSA, Colo.-  Former 8-time NCAA Division I All-American and 9-time Big 12 Conference Champion Rebecca Sturdy has been named as Adams State College's first ever women's swimming coach, according to ASC Athletic Director Larry Mortensen who made the announcement Friday.

Sturdy, who helped the Texas A&M University Aggies to their first team conference title as a senior in 2007, will also serve as the Grizzlies' assistant sports information director assisting in media relations and publicity efforts for all 14 of the Grizzlies' existing athletic programs and the five new ones to be added during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years.

Women's swimming is one of the five new programs and has been added to the Grizzly athletic department along with men's soccer and men's golf for the upcoming 2009-10 academic year.  Men's swimming and women's lacrosse are being added for 2010-11.

"We are pleased to have hired such a talented and passionate individual," Mortensen said.

"Rebecca is dedicated to building our new women's swimming program.  The community will be amazed what she will be able to do to improve the aquatic programs in the valley. To have a multiple-time all-American running our programs is an exciting first. We hope to keep her here for a long time," he added.

Sturdy, who has been serving as an athletic media relations assistant at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke for the past year, has plenty of experience in both the swimming and sports information realms.  The Anacortes, Wash. native is also familiar with Colorado as she worked as an intern in media and public relations for the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs while completing her bachelor's degree in sports management from Texas A&M in 2008.

Sturdy set numerous school records for the Aggies during her 4-year swimming career and then served as a student assistant coach for the 2007-08 season, helping guide them to a program-record fourth place finish at the NCAA Division I Championships.  Sturdy also got her start in athletic media relations in the Aggies' office assisting with women's swimming and equestrian.

"I am very excited to be joining the Adams State staff and am grateful for the opportunity I have been given. I am looking forward to the challenges associated with starting a new team and can't wait to see where the journey will take the program," Sturdy said.

While working at UNCP, Sturdy was directly responsible for publicity efforts for the Braves' women's soccer, women's basketball, track & field and cheerleading programs.  Her women's soccer media guide placed second in the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Publications Contest.

"I am excited to have Rebecca joining our athletic department staff,"

said ASC Associate Athletic Director & Sports Information Director Chris Day.  "She has a great passion for both sports information and the development of our new swimming program and will be a tremendous asset for years to come."

After chronic shoulder injuries hampered some of her swimming progress during the middle years of her collegiate career, Sturdy completed her comeback by winning four 2007 Big 12 titles and setting Texas A&M records in the 400-yard medley relay, the 200 freestyle relay, the 400 freestyle relay and the 100 butterfly (53.10).

Sturdy swam the butterfly leg on the 400 medley relay en-route to the title- a first in the College Station institution's history in that event - and an all-time Big 12 Conference record.  She also anchored the 400 free relay, which gave the Aggies a one-point victory over the Texas Longhorns for the conference team title- another program first.

Also placing second in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 back at the Big 12 Championships, Sturdy went on to garner All-America honors in the 200 free and 400 medley relays helping the Aggies to a eighth place finish at the NCAA Division I Championships, also their best finish in program history at the time.

Earlier in her career, Sturdy was named as the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2004 earning All-America honors in the 100 backstroke and four relays.  She also competed in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke events at her second U.S. Olympic Trials later that season.

Sturdy also shined academically earning First Team Academic All-Big 12 and Texas A&M/Verizon Athletic Scholar Awards during her time as an Aggie.

While swimming for coach Leslie Mix and Anacortes High School, where she graduated from in 2003, Sturdy had nine top five finishes at the state championships, including four state titles.  Her senior year, she set a state record of 320 points for the highest total on the NISCA Power Points system at the 3A State Championships.

She was also a USA Swimming Academic All-American and swam a summer for the Mt. Hood Swim Club coached by Bud Taylor after competing for the Thunderbird Aquatic Club and Mike Bemis for eight years.  Sturdy, who started swimming at the age of 7, was also coached by her father Gary for four of those years.

He and Sturdy's mother Karen still reside in Anacortes.  Sturdy's sister Kate is an engineering major at the University of Idaho.