LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Bellarmine University Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt announced today that John Brucato, the founding coach of the Bellarmine men's and women's swim teams, will step down effective July 1.
 
"Coach Brucato has served the Bellarmine University community and the athletic department passionately and admirably for more than a decade, so I accepted John's resignation regretfully," Wiegandt said. "As a still relatively new grandfather, I'm sure he'll appreciate more time with family in the coming years."
 
Brucato is the first and only head swim coach in Bellarmine's history.  The native of Northern Kentucky, helped found the men's and women's swim programs in 2012 and helped guide multiple student-athletes to All-America status at the NCAA Division II level before helping usher the Knights' program into the Division I era.  The former University of Kentucky assistant coach divulged that two years ago he had been diagnosed with ALS, but he didn't let that slow him as the Knights continued to break program records and compete in their new D1 conference the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association.
 
"It is with great respect for our student-athletes, gratitude for the wonderful opportunity afforded to me, and wonderful memories of our swimming family, that I announce my retirement from the Bellarmine University men's and women's swim teams," Brucato said.  "Since coming to Bellarmine in 2012 to begin a swim team until now, I have been blessed with an opportunity to be a part of the Knights Nation of student-athletes, fellow coaches and administrative support staff.
 
Brucato also handed a number of "thank yous" to the people who helped him in his tenure as coach.
 
"I want to thank Scott Wiegandt for his vision to bring swimming to Bellarmine and giving me the tools to build a successful program, and I want to thank all the swimmers, their families and our coaching staff for helping me through the past two seasons since my diagnosis with ALS. Finally, I want to thank Jan, my wife and love of my life, for helping me navigate through the challenges associated with this disease and being by my side for 37 years."
 
Bellarmine assistant coach Gord Veldman will be elevated to interim head coach following Brucato's resignation on July 1.  Veldman has been Bellarmine's assistant coach the past eight seasons.  The graduate of Western Kentucky University and former member of the Canadian national swim team was a standout in the backstroke winning multiple conference titles and setting school records in the 100 and 200 backstroke at WKU.
 
"Coach Brucato is an amazing man, and I am very fortunate to have had him as a mentor coach over the past eight years," Veldman said. "He has had a tremendously positive impact on our swimmers and this university.  It is an honor to succeed John, and I look forward to the challenge of maintaining and building on the high standards he has set."