PORTLAND, Ore.—After a strong first season in leading the Lewis & Clark College men's and women's swimming programs, Caitlin DeNise was named the head coach of both programs, on Monday afternoon. 
 
"I'm very excited to move into the official Head Coaching position for Lewis & Clark swimming," DeNise stated. "I want to thank Mark Pietrok and Sharon Sexton for the support they have given me this past season and I'm looking forward to growing the program and seeing what we can accomplish in the future." 
 
DeNise served as an assistant coach with the Pioneers for two seasons, before being named the Interim Head Coach in September. The Cal State East Bay University alum worked with five All-Conference swimmers this winter, including helping senior Kate Milne and junior Aidan Ringel earn their first All-Conference accolades. 
 
"I am incredibly proud to announce Caitlin's hiring as our full-time Swimming coach," Director of Physical Education and Athletics Mark Pietrok noted. "She was someone that our student-athletes overwhelmingly supported prior to being elevated to the Interim role and she did a phenomenal job running the program this year. Caitlin has proven herself to be a great leader and I can't wait to see where the program grows from here. I am also very proud to have the opportunity to hire a strong female coaching candidate to lead one of our dual gendered programs. This has been very rare in Lewis & Clark's past."
 
In her first season leading the program, Lewis & Clark finished in sixth place (279 points) at the Northwest Conference Championship on the men's side and eighth on the women's (193 points). Five student-athletes combined to earn nine All-Conference honors with junior Micah Rysavy, sophomores Zach Martin and Michael Spicer and Milne all earning multiple All-Conference awards. Martin set the program record in the 200 Yard Free (1:42.51) at the NWC Championship Meet, when he broke Mike Power's 36-year record by 0.04 seconds. 
 
Prior to her time at Lewis & Clark, DeNise worked as an assistant coach at her alma mater Cal State East Bay University (NCAA DII) and the University of the Pacific (NCAA DI). 
 
At Cal State East Bay, she oversaw and coached the individual medley and distance groups and managed the recruitment of student-athletes from Northern California, the Pacific Northwest, North and South Dakota, Alaska and Wyoming. During her three seasons with the Pioneers (2018-21), the program won the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Titles and she coached three student-athletes who competed at the NCAA DII National Championship Meet. She also trained and coached Claire Beaty who was a 2021 Olympic Trial Qualifier in the 200 Breaststroke. 
 
She spent one season working with the Pacific Tigers (2015-16). DeNise collaborated with the head coach to develop the sprint and individual medley groups practices. She spent the season working with NCAA Qualifier Kenna Ramey (100 Butterfly). 
 
Outside of her work at the collegiate level, DeNise also worked for two years at the club level with the Pleasanton Seahawks. She worked as the Senior Assistant to the head coach and was in charge of the Senior Elite Group from August 2016 to January 2017. During her two years with the Seahawks, DeNise mentored and trained Junior National and National Level qualifiers and coached 2016 Olympics Trial Finals Qualifier Maxime Rooney (200 Freestyle).