Laura McGlaughlin was hired in June 2018 and recently completed her second season as an assistant coach with the University of Pennsylvania’s swim programs in 2019-20. A West Chester native and a former swimmer at Villanova, McGlaughlin returned to the area following a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Georgetown University.
Over her two seasons with the Quakers, McGlaughlin has coached 13 swimmers who have broken 15 program records. Under her assistance, Catherine Buroker became just the second Penn women's swimmer to qualify for multiple NCAA Championships. Buroker has also won a pair of Ivy Championships and has earned second-team All-Ivy honors in the 1,000 free and 1,650 free. On the men's side Mark Andrew won Ivy League titles in the 200 IM and 400 breast and earned a first-team All-America distinction with an eighth-place finish in the 400 IM at the NCAA Championships in McGlaughlin's first year coaching with the Quakers.
In McGlaughlin’s final year at Georgetown, the women took second place at the 2018 BIG EAST Championships while the men were third. The Hoyas also totaled six individual championships and boasted the Male Swimmer of the Meet. GU’s men finished second at the Championships in 2016 and 2017, while the women were second in 2016 and third in 2017. Both teams also were selected as College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American programs all three years that McGlaughlin was on staff.
McGlaughlin spent the 2014-15 season at her alma mater as an assistant coach and aquatics intern. She helped the Wildcat women to a first-place finish and the men to fourth at the BIG EAST Championships. She also served as the recruiting coordinator for the men’s program, while coordinating events for alumni and fans of Villanova swimming & diving. In her role as aquatics intern she managed the set-up and breakdown of meets and special events at Villanova’s aquatic facility, while also supervising lifeguards.
McGlaughlin was a four-year letter winner and BIG EAST Championships competitor during her career at Villanova. She also competed at the United States Olympic Trials in 2012. McGlaughlin was selected as a team captain for her senior season, 2012-13, while also serving as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee from 2011-13.
McGlaughlin graduated cum laude from Villanova with a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in public relations. Her work in intercollegiate athletics goes beyond the pool, as she also gained experience in the Villanova Athletic Fund Development office as a student, and later working in the athletic director’s office.
