Tulane swim and dive is adding a former co-captain to their coaching staff to bring relatability to student athletes.
The Tulane Green Wave swimming and diving program is looking to build towards the next level, and they hope that they added another key piece to their coaching staff to get there under head coach Amanda Caldwell. The program announced that they are hiring former Purdue Boilermakers co-captain and Marshall Thundering Herd assistant Kat Mueller to join the staff as an assistant coach as the Green Wave look to build on a strong 2025-26 season.
Mueller graduated from Purdue in 2023 after serving as co-captain of their swim and dive program, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies education from the Boilermakers. She took her first collegiate coaching role in 2024, when she joined the Marshall University staff as an assistant swim coach. The Thundering Herd ultimately finished out the year 4-1 in the 2025-26 season. Importantly, her ability to develop was highlighted in the growth of athlete Elyse Wood, who set a program record and won the silver in the 100 Freestyle at the American Championship Finals. In her statement following the hire, coach Caldwell lauded Mueller’s ability to develop talent, improve performance, and importantly, build and strengthen team culture.
In addition, her experience as a former student athlete will serve as a key asset, as it immediately gives relatability and credibility with the current swimmers she will now look to coach. Specifically, Caldwell pointed to her understanding of “training, race execution, and how to communicate” in a way that teaches accountability while instilling confidence, and that she’s a “true Wave Maker” who will meet the athletes where they are and not force anything. In her own statement, Mueller expressed gratitude in the trust instilled in her by Athletic Director David Harris and Caldwell, and that the commitment to excellence both on and off the pool deck was an enticing factor that drew her to the program.
On the pool deck, Tulane will look to build off a strong 2025-26 season campaign where they finished fifth overall at the 2026 American Conference Swimming Championships with a total 905.50 points. Lise Coetzee won the 200 freestyle and placed second in the 500 freestyle, while Varvara Gkiouzepa Petropoulou was runner-up in 200 butterfly. Eliza Lennox took third in the 100 freestyle. Another impressive finish was by the 800 relay team of Coetzee, Andrea Zeebe, Phoebe Johnson and Rafaela Sumida, who placed third.
Diver Libby Brewer earned American Conference Freshman Diver of the Year and qualified for the 2026 NCAA Zone D Championships, while 11 athletes in total qualified for the CSCAA National Invitational Championships.
With a strong returning core and a new coaching voice on the staff, the Green Wave hope to build on their momentum with reinforcements.