Bruns Named Head Coach

MOORHEAD, Minn. (6/8/20)---Concordia Athletics Director Rachel Bergeson announced that Anneliesse Bruns has been named the new head coach for the Concordia women's swimming and diving program. Bruns takes over for Kaylee Jablonsky who resigned earlier in the spring.

Bruns becomes the seventh coach in the history of the program which started in 1997.

"Anneliesse's background at Concordia and the success she has had at every level of swimming made her the unanimous choice for the position," Bergseson said. "I am excited for the Cobber swimming and diving program because Anneliesse has had an outstanding career as a high school and club coach as well as a student-athlete and is committed to student-athlete development."  

While working as the aquatics manager at Concordia, Bruns was also the Moorhead High School boys' swimming and diving head coach from 2014-19 where she guided multiple Minnesota state meet qualifiers. Before that she was the assistant coach for the Moorhead HS boys' team from 2013-14 and the assistant coach for the Moorhead HS girls' team from 2013-16. Bruns has also been involved with the Northern Lights Swimming Association Marlins swim club as an age group head coach since 2008.

"I'm looking forward to helping the team grow, achieve their goals and get everything they can out of being a Concordia student-athlete," Bruns commented. "I want to help the program with grow in numbers and promoting the sport in general. Swimming is fairly large in the area. It is well participated in locally, and neighboring states, and I want to reach out to those athletes to help the Concordia program."    

Bruns was a highly successful swimmer for Roseau High School and then at the University of North Dakota. She was the Minnesota State High School Class A state champion in the 100-yard breaststroke in 2002. She was a 4-year letter winner at the University of North Dakota and was the team captain for in 2007-08. Bruns posted numerous Top 10 finished at the NCC conference meet and was named to the NCC Commissioner's Academic Swimming and Diving Honor Roll in her junior and senior seasons. Bruns also posted NCAA "B" qualifying standards as sophomore in 2005-06.          

"In all of my coaching journey I've tried to pass on what I love about swimming and diving, the lessons that I've learned from it and how it applies to the rest of your life," Bruns added. "I want to continue to pass those lessons along to the Cobber student-athletes."