PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania's head swimming & diving coach, Mike Schnur, has announced the hiring of Alexandra "Sasha" Malanina as an assistant coach.
 
Malanina comes to Penn from La Salle, where after two seasons as assistant swimming & diving coach she was elevated to interim head coach for the 2020-21 campaign. As a swimmer, she was a two-time All-America at the University of Maryland and a former member of the Russian National Team.
 
"I'm thrilled to be able to add an assistant with Sasha's swimming and coaching background," said Schnur. "Her experience as a world-class swimmer, along with her extensive coaching background, will be a huge asset to our student-athletes, especially those with aspirations to compete on the world stage. As head coach at La Salle last season, she did an amazing job with her team under incredibly difficult circumstances, and I am so happy to have the opportunity to work with her here at Penn."
 
I am so thrilled to join the University of Pennsylvania swimming and diving programs," said Malanina. "The team, the coaching staff, and the University are focused on the student-athlete experience and success in the classroom and in the pool. This resonates closely with my coaching and personal philosophy, and I would like to thank Mike Schnur for this opportunity. I am excited to bring my experience to Penn as we continue to thrive as a team!"

Prior to her arrival at La Salle, Malanina served as an assistant coach at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., where she worked specifically with the distance group. In that position, she helped John Tepper to All-America honors in the 1650 free at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
 
During her time with the Russian National Team, from 1999-03, Malanina was a silver medalist in both the 200 and 400 IM at the 1999 Junior Olympic Days in Esbjerg, Denmark. A year later, she won a Junior European championship in the 400 medley relay and earned a third-place finish at the 2000 Russian Olympic Trials in the 200 breaststroke. 

Malanina took part in three consecutive World Championship meets from 2000-02, advancing to the finals of the 800 free and 800 free relay at the 2002 meet in Moscow. Two years later, she competed in her second Olympic Trials, finishing fourth in the 400 IM.

Following her international career, Malanina began swimming collegiately in the United States at Maryland. A two-time NCAA qualifier, she earned honorable mention All-America in the 800 freestyle relay in 2005. In 2006, she was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion in the 400 IM—later earning honorable mention All-America status in the event—and was named Team MVP.

After graduating with a degree in finance and a concentration in international business from Maryland in 2008, Malanina moved to Villanova University and completed her master's degree in finance in 2011. She then embarked on a three-year stint on Wall Street, working in sales and trading. In the summer of 2020, Malanina graduated Magna Cum Laude from New York University's Sports Business program with a master's degree in Professional Franchise and Collegiate Operations.