McLean County Times

Illinois State University has announced the addition of Kennedy Gilbertson to its Swimming & Diving coaching staff as an assistant coach. The appointment was made public by head coach Riley Hilbrandt. Gilbertson joins Illinois State following a collegiate swimming career at Iowa and a coaching stint at Colby College.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kennedy to our coaching staff and team," Hilbrandt said. "Kennedy was a standout swimmer at Iowa and has coaching experience at club, high school, and collegiate levels. Throughout the interview process her love and passion for swimming truly stood out, which I believe will go a long way with not only the success of our current student-athletes, but future Redbirds to come. She is determined and full of energy, which is exactly what I was looking to bring on deck. I'm so excited to get Kennedy here to Normal and get to work."

Gilbertson's most recent role was as an assistant swim coach at Colby College, where she handled various responsibilities including meet travel arrangements, pool setup, timing coordination, and recruiting efforts. Her focus was on the sprints group, contributing by writing practice plans and assisting in meets. Before moving into college-level coaching, she served as head coach at Iowa City West High School from August to November 2024.

"I am extremely excited for the opportunity to coach at Illinois State," Gilbertson stated. "I'm excited to be on deck, coaching and helping our Redbird student-athletes reach their full potential. I want to thank Riley, Cindy Harris and Dr. Jeri Beggs for the opportunity, and I can't wait to get started."

During her time as a student-athlete at Iowa from 2020-2024, Gilbertson earned recognition as the team's MVP after the 2023 season and competed in the World Championship Trials. She holds the Iowa school record in the 100-yard backstroke and graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in May 2024.