Minnesota alumna and former Manhattan head coach Molly Belk joined Purdue women’s swimming & diving as an assistant coach in the fall of 2018. The 2020-21 school year will be her third with the Boilermakers.
Belk was the head coach of the men’s and women’s programs at Manhattan from July 2017 until returning to the Big Ten in November 2018. The Jaspers broke 25 school records during the 2017-18 season. Along with coaching both teams, she was also responsible for all their administrative duties.
“Molly’s passion, background and infectious attitude made an immediate impact on our program in a positive fashion," head coach John Klinge says. "As a student-athlete, she competed at a high level at the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. She's gained valuable experience early in her coaching career at multiple levels, most recently as a head coach at a Division I university. Molly will be a huge asset to our swimmers and team."
The Boilermakers eclipsed four freshman records during the 2019-20 campaign. Kendra Bowen took down the 100 freestyle first-year record. Fellow underclassmen Sylvia Kobylak (200 breast) and Tessa Wrightson (100 back) also moved into the top five overall in program history. Natalie Myers continued to demonstrate her versatility, breaking LCM team records in the 200- and 400-meter IM and also moving into the top five in team history in the 200- and 400-yard IM during the collegiate season.
Purdue posted impressive team grade-point averages of 3.75 in the spring semester and 3.64 during the fall semester.
During the 2019 fall semester, Olympian Jinq En Phee represented Malaysia and Purdue at the Southeast Asian Games and FINA Swimming World Cup in Budapest. With Belk on hand in the Philippines, Phee won gold in both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke. It was her third consecutive gold in the 100 and she's a seven-time medalist at the biennial showcase overall.
Program records by seniors Jackie Smailis (100 and 200 back) and Taite Kitchel (100 fly) as well as the 200 and 400 medley relay teams highlighted Belk's first season with the Boilermakers. Tessa Wrightson (100 back) and Jade Knueppel (50 free) both established Purdue freshman records. Wrightson accomplished the feat at both the IU Invitational in November and Boiler-Make-It NCAA Last Chance meet in March, moving into fifth place in program history. Natalie Myers (200 back, 400 IM) and Maizie Seidl (500 free) also posted career-best times that ranked among the top five in program history. Myers joined Smailis as Boilermakers to score in all three of their individual events at Big Tens.
Kitchel and Phee both qualified for the 2019 NCAA Championships, Phee doing so after eclipse one minute in the 100 breaststroke again. She also returned to the FINA World Championships for Malaysia. Belk made the trip to South Korea for the biennial international showcase.
At Minnesota, Belk was a three-year NCAA Championships qualifier and also raced at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2008 and 2012. As a junior, she competed at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center twice as Purdue hosted both the 2010 Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships. The Gophers won the Big Ten title her freshman year and finished second the other three seasons. She was a versatile swimmer that competed in butterfly, breaststroke, Individual medley and freestyle events during her college career.
Belk’s sister Rory is a Purdue swimming alumna, graduating in 2007 as a four-year letterwinner that excelled in the breaststroke and individual medley events.
Belk also began her coaching career at Minnesota, serving as a volunteer assistant with the Gophers during the 2011-12 school year while pursuing a master’s degree in elementary education. She earned both a bachelor’s of science and master’s of education in elementary education. In 2012, the Minnesota women won the Big Ten title and finished 15th at the NCAA Championships.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Manhattan, Belk spent two years working with Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics in New York City. She served as the lead coach of just under 100 athletes while also assisting the national group. Additionally, she worked directly with the program's Silver Medal Club and was the coordinator of the Parent Education of Sport and Nutrition group.
Belk was an assistant swimming coach for a season at the renowned 92nd Street YMCA after moving to New York in the summer of 2014.
While serving as an elementary school teacher in St. Paul, Belk was the varsity head coach at North St. Paul High School from July 2012 until the Minneapolis native decided to move to New York two years later. She coached six swimmers to state championships after the team had only one qualifier the year before she arrived. Every summer from 2008 to 2014, she also served as a head counselor at the Minnesota Swim Camps.
Belk was Minnesota swimming & diving’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient as a senior and also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Away from the pool, Belk has served as a board member for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. She attended the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as a volunteer with the organizing committee. Additionally, she established the Ra'ey Youth Soccer Organization, which has helped to empower Ethiopian youth through academics and soccer.
The Manhattan men’s team was tops in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and ranked tied for fourth nationally with a 3.47 grade-point average during the 2018 spring semester. Both programs earned Scholar All-America Team honors from the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018. The team GPAs rose for both teams from the fall to the spring.
Belk was the head coach of the men’s and women’s programs at Manhattan from July 2017 until returning to the Big Ten in November 2018. The Jaspers broke 25 school records during the 2017-18 season. Along with coaching both teams, she was also responsible for all their administrative duties.
“Molly’s passion, background and infectious attitude made an immediate impact on our program in a positive fashion," head coach John Klinge says. "As a student-athlete, she competed at a high level at the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. She's gained valuable experience early in her coaching career at multiple levels, most recently as a head coach at a Division I university. Molly will be a huge asset to our swimmers and team."
The Boilermakers eclipsed four freshman records during the 2019-20 campaign. Kendra Bowen took down the 100 freestyle first-year record. Fellow underclassmen Sylvia Kobylak (200 breast) and Tessa Wrightson (100 back) also moved into the top five overall in program history. Natalie Myers continued to demonstrate her versatility, breaking LCM team records in the 200- and 400-meter IM and also moving into the top five in team history in the 200- and 400-yard IM during the collegiate season.
Purdue posted impressive team grade-point averages of 3.75 in the spring semester and 3.64 during the fall semester.
During the 2019 fall semester, Olympian Jinq En Phee represented Malaysia and Purdue at the Southeast Asian Games and FINA Swimming World Cup in Budapest. With Belk on hand in the Philippines, Phee won gold in both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke. It was her third consecutive gold in the 100 and she's a seven-time medalist at the biennial showcase overall.
Program records by seniors Jackie Smailis (100 and 200 back) and Taite Kitchel (100 fly) as well as the 200 and 400 medley relay teams highlighted Belk's first season with the Boilermakers. Tessa Wrightson (100 back) and Jade Knueppel (50 free) both established Purdue freshman records. Wrightson accomplished the feat at both the IU Invitational in November and Boiler-Make-It NCAA Last Chance meet in March, moving into fifth place in program history. Natalie Myers (200 back, 400 IM) and Maizie Seidl (500 free) also posted career-best times that ranked among the top five in program history. Myers joined Smailis as Boilermakers to score in all three of their individual events at Big Tens.
Kitchel and Phee both qualified for the 2019 NCAA Championships, Phee doing so after eclipse one minute in the 100 breaststroke again. She also returned to the FINA World Championships for Malaysia. Belk made the trip to South Korea for the biennial international showcase.
At Minnesota, Belk was a three-year NCAA Championships qualifier and also raced at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2008 and 2012. As a junior, she competed at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center twice as Purdue hosted both the 2010 Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships. The Gophers won the Big Ten title her freshman year and finished second the other three seasons. She was a versatile swimmer that competed in butterfly, breaststroke, Individual medley and freestyle events during her college career.
Belk’s sister Rory is a Purdue swimming alumna, graduating in 2007 as a four-year letterwinner that excelled in the breaststroke and individual medley events.
Belk also began her coaching career at Minnesota, serving as a volunteer assistant with the Gophers during the 2011-12 school year while pursuing a master’s degree in elementary education. She earned both a bachelor’s of science and master’s of education in elementary education. In 2012, the Minnesota women won the Big Ten title and finished 15th at the NCAA Championships.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Manhattan, Belk spent two years working with Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics in New York City. She served as the lead coach of just under 100 athletes while also assisting the national group. Additionally, she worked directly with the program's Silver Medal Club and was the coordinator of the Parent Education of Sport and Nutrition group.
Belk was an assistant swimming coach for a season at the renowned 92nd Street YMCA after moving to New York in the summer of 2014.
While serving as an elementary school teacher in St. Paul, Belk was the varsity head coach at North St. Paul High School from July 2012 until the Minneapolis native decided to move to New York two years later. She coached six swimmers to state championships after the team had only one qualifier the year before she arrived. Every summer from 2008 to 2014, she also served as a head counselor at the Minnesota Swim Camps.
Belk was Minnesota swimming & diving’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient as a senior and also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Away from the pool, Belk has served as a board member for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. She attended the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as a volunteer with the organizing committee. Additionally, she established the Ra'ey Youth Soccer Organization, which has helped to empower Ethiopian youth through academics and soccer.
The Manhattan men’s team was tops in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and ranked tied for fourth nationally with a 3.47 grade-point average during the 2018 spring semester. Both programs earned Scholar All-America Team honors from the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018. The team GPAs rose for both teams from the fall to the spring.