PELLA— Jennie Hedrick-Rozenberg will spearhead the launch of Central College's new men's and women's swimming programs.
The teams will begin competition in 2027-28, giving Central 23 intercollegiate sports. Hedrick-Rozenberg, who is in her sixth season as the college's triathlon coach and was named the Collegiate Triathlon Coaches Association's national Division III coach of the year in 2024, will serve as head coach. She will continue as triathlon coach during 2026-27, while building swim squads to compete the following year. Her recruiting efforts are already underway.
The launch ties into the anticipated June 2027 opening of Pella's new $35.1-million recreation center, located northwest of Pella Sports Park on the east side of the city. The 78,000-square foot facility will include an eight-lane, 25-yard competition pool with spectator seating for 500, as well as an adjacent recreation pool.
"This is yet another tremendous example of the college's unique and mutually beneficial partnership with the city of Pella," said Vice President for Athletics Eric Van Kley. "We continue to see a growing interest in swimming both locally and nationally and have looked at adding intercollegiate teams for some time, but we simply haven't had facilities to do so. The new recreation center will benefit the city and the college in so many ways and we're grateful that the city is partnering with us to provide this opportunity for our student-athletes."
Hedrick-Rozenberg has served as head swim coach for the city since 2002 and her triathlon squad has used the city's smaller, existing indoor pool for training.
"We've had a great partnership with the city because of triathlon," she said. "To have our athletes there when the club kids come in so that we can see all levels within the town, I think is exactly what the city needs to keep building our aquatics programs. I think it's going to be really great for the community."
Hedrick-Rozenberg has also served as coach for South East Aquatics since 2010. She has American Swim Coaches Association Level 2 certification. She's a past member of the Iowa Swimming board of directors and former secretary for the Iowa Swim Coaches Association board of directors.
While targeting a combined men's-women's squad of 15 swimmers for 2027-28, Hedrick-Rozenberg wants to quickly grow each team to around 18-20 athletes, with potential for 28-30.
Van Kley is confident that Hedrick-Rozenberg will quickly develop a championship contender.
"With her swimming background, connections, coaching ability and work ethic, Jennie is a perfect fit for this job," he said. "She'll set high expectations for herself and her athletes, and will work hard to help them reach their goals in the pool and in the classroom."
He noted that under Hedrick-Rozenberg, the triathlon squad received NFCA Scholar All-American team status. Two triathletes were given Scholar All-America distinction and four others received honorable mention. The squad had this year's highest team grade point average on campus at 3.82.
In 2027, Central will be among five American Rivers Conference schools with a swimming team although will not initially compete in diving. The Dutch will join Nebraska Wesleyan University, Coe College, Loras College and Simpson College. Meet schedules open in October, with the conference championship in late February. There are more than 200 men's and women's swimming and diving teams within NCAA Division III, with its championship staged in March.
"Division III swimming is fast," Hedrick-Rozenberg said. "At the higher level, it's almost as fast as Division I."
That shows athletes can compete at an elite level, while still taking advantage of the opportunities a Central education can provide, she said.
"It helps bring in the athletes that are serious about swimming but also want to have a life outside of it," she said. "It is such a time-consuming sport at the Division I level. But anyone that also wants the opportunity to do multiple things, to be part of a music group or go abroad, they could still do all of that and swim at Central."
Under Hedrick-Rozenberg, the Dutch placed third in Division III at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships in Tempe, Arizona Nov. 8, with three athletes receiving all-America honors. She's guided the Dutch to five consecutive national meet appearances. But she's never lost her passion for swimming.
"Swimming is at my heart," she said. "I've been swimming since I was six months old and competing since I was 8 years old. So it's been part of who I am my whole life. To be able to coach it collegiately and hopefully grow a program at the Division III level is exciting."
