LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bellarmine University Swim Coach
John Brucato announced Monday that seven-year assistant coach
Gord Veldman has been elevated to full-time status for the 2022-23 season.
Veldman joined the Bellarmine staff in 2015 and helped guide the Knights through the Division I transition.
"Gord's expertise and experience has been invaluable to the development of our swimmers and team," Brucato said. "Now, with his advancement, we will be able to have a greater recruiting capacity and elevate our men's and women's performance for this season and beyond."
With Veldman on staff, the 2021-22 season was highlighted by Bellarmine's first team wins in the Division I era for the men's and women's squads, while multiple program records were broken by both teams. The men's side featured three individual records broken (50 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 200 IM), and two relay records were bested (200 freestyle, 800 freestyle) - all at the CCSA championships. The women's team had its individual 50 freestyle program record snapped as well at the season's final meet. Between the men's and women's teams, the Knights held 10 top-10 finishes at the CCSA Championships.
Prior to its arrival in D1, a combined seven different swimmers earned DII All-America accolades over the women's and men's programs final three seasons in DII with Veldman helping lead the programs.
Veldman swam collegiately at Western Kentucky University, where he became a conference champion in the backstroke and finished in the top 25 at the D-I NCAA Championships all four years.
The 2002 WKU graduate — who went on to receive his master's degree from WKU in recreation administration — set the Hilltoppers records in both the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes and was twice named as a team captain.
A member of the Canadian national swim team, Veldman began his coaching career with Island Swimming Club in Victoria British Columbia, Canada. Veldman earned a diploma in high-performance coaching from the National Coaching Institute of British Columbia.
