Butery Has Interim Tag Removed

MOORHEAD, Minn. (3/17/15)—Concordia Athletic Director Rich Glas announced that Talia Butery has been hired as the school's fourth women's swimming and diving coach. Butery had been serving as interim head coach since October.

"Talia showed great leadership skills in a difficult time during the fall and winter and we are excited to have her as the official head coach for the program," stated Glas in announcing the appointment. "By the end of the season the student/athletes showed tremendous progress and the program will have a bright future under Talia's direction."

Butery was hired as the interim head coach days before the start of the 2014-15 season. She steadily improved the team's performances and earned her first collegiate dual-meet win against Hamline on Jan. 30.

Butery's shining moment during the season came at the MIAC Championship Meet. The Cobbers broke at least one school record in all three days at the conference meet. In the end, Butery helped Concordia athletes break school record on six different occasions in four different events. It was the most record-breaking performances at the MIAC Meet in recent history for the Cobbers.

In addition to all the school records set at the conference meet, Concordia athletes posted lifetime-bets times in 100-percent of the events on the opening day of the meet and finished with numerous career marks during all three days.

"The MIAC Meet showed Talia's ability to get the most from the student/athletes," said Glas. "It was a huge boost to the program and proved that she has the ability to coach at a championship level."

Butery is also the Fargo North High School girls' head coach where she was named the North Dakota High School Swimming Coach of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2013. She was also named the EDC Swimming Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2012. Butery guided the Spartans to the North Dakota state championship in 2012. She has also helped Fargo North record a trio of second-place finishes at the state meet. Butery posted runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2007 and the Spartans finished second by a mere 14 points in 2011.