After eight years as an assistant coach, Allie Clark was promoted to associate head coach of the men and women’s swim and dive teams last week. 

The title of associate head coach is a new designation for the swim and dive team. Rather than substantially change her responsibilities, the new title recognizes Clark’s longtime dedication to the team. “From a functional standpoint, what goes on day to day doesn’t change,” swimmer Kevin Jiang ’26 said. “She’s going to keep doing what she’s been doing.”

The promotion ensures long-term stability for the team, swimmers and divers said. Assistant coaches rarely stay in their position for as long as Clark did, according to women’s team co-captain Ruby Groves ’26. “I’m really glad that [Clark] got this promotion because … we know that assistant coaches don’t stick around very often,” Groves said. 

Clark also served as interim head coach last fall when Head Coach Steven Kuster went on sabbatical, according to Groves. 

During Clark’s interim role, she guided both the men’s and women’s teams to NESCAC championships, marking the 23rd title for the men’s program and the 21st for the women’s. Team members say her leadership maintained strong team spirit despite Kuster’s absence. “It’s very telling of her capabilities that the transition was very smooth and felt very effortless, and we still had a successful season,” Jiang added. 

Clark’s new position offers the team another support resource for athletes to turn to. “There’s 60 athletes,” Clark said. “It’s a lot for one head coach to be in charge of.” 

“Obviously assistants come and go, but I’ve been here for a long time, and I think this associate head coach position will help [bring] more continuity in the program moving forward,” she continued.

“Having the two of them at the top is really helpful in grounding our program and what our values are,” Jiang said. 

Clark hopes her new role will encourage athletes to turn to her for help and guidance, even inww the off-season. “Having two full-time head coaches available to the student-athletes… no matter [if] that’s during season, out of season, people can reach out,” Clark said.

Clark’s journey to the associate head coach job began with a love of swimming from a young age. “Swimming has just been a part of my life forever,” she said.  

Growing up, Clark’s dad was the head swim coach at Carleton College, which fueled her love for the sport. “Being around the team and seeing swimmers and divers train and compete made the sport feel like a natural part of my life,” Clark said. “One of my favorite memories as a kid was going with my family to watch the conference championship in February. The energy at those meets was incredible.” 

Clark went on to swim at Carleton College, coached by her dad. “My years [at Carleton] were so formative because I had coaches who cared and were interested in me, which led me into coaching,” she said.

Clark’s previous coaching role was an assistant position at another Div. III school in Minnesota, Macalester College. “Macalester was great,” she said. “I loved working there. I loved working with smart, intellectual, passionate, college athletes, and I just knew that I wanted to be somewhere [like that].”

Her move to coaching at the College in 2018 perfectly satisfied her love of the tight-knit community at small colleges. “When the Williams job came open and I interviewed, and I got offered the position, it was a no-brainer,” she said.

Clark credits the College’s strong academic and athletic enviornment to its networks of support. “You don’t come to Williams expecting to do it all by yourself,” she said. “Professors are amazing with office hours, student peer tutoring, using your teammates as resources, [these are] all the amazing things that Williams has to offer.”

Clark has made the most of her role as one of these resources. “The better you get to know somebody, the more you can help them do the absolute best that they can in the pool and outside,” she said.

She has brought that empathy and support to the team, according to swimmer Michael Grover ’26. “She’s the person that has always kept my fire going when it comes to the sport,” Grover said. 

“What really sets coaches apart is their ability to tap into the emotional side of coaching,” Jiang said. “And I think Allie does a really good job of that.”

Groves recalled that Clark’s care especially came through in moments of crisis. “My freshman year I had a really bad shoulder injury … and Coach Allie literally came with me to the emergency room to get my shoulder put back in its place,” she said.

This ethos of support creates a strong team culture. “At this past NESCAC Championship we had other coaches come up to us and congratulate us on how well our team cheers for other teams,” Grover said. 

Team spirit is a constant focus of Clark’s. “Culture is a living and breathing document,” she said. “If you think your culture is in a good place, it probably isn’t as good as you think it is. And if you think your culture’s great and you’re not working on it, then it’s most certainly sliding backwards.”

Clark takes pride in the team’s  success, according to Grover. “She loves watching people succeed,” he said. “You’ll be at NESCACs and you’ll look where the team is cheering and it’s Coach [Clark cheering] so loud. It’s awesome to see her cheering because that energy spreads.” 

“She’s been here for forever and she truly loves this program and it shows,” Grover said.