Mark Gangloff- Head Coach
Mark Gangloff, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the most dynamic young leaders in the world of collegiate swimming, was named the head coach for the men's and women's swimming and diving programs at the University of North Carolina in May 2019. Gangloff comes to UNC after seven years at the University of Missouri where he served as the Tigers' associate head coach for the last two seasons.
"Mark Gangloff is greatly respected in international and collegiate swimming and diving and has a passion for coaching and developing student-athletes," says UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "His swimmers have demonstrated improvement and success, and he is known for his ability to relate with and motivate student-athletes.
"He's an Olympic gold medalist, captained a national championship-winning team at Auburn and a number of USA Swimming teams in international competitions, and has developed swimmers at Missouri for the past seven years. We look forward to Mark taking our men's and women's programs to another level in the years to come."
"I would like to thank Mr. Cunningham for the opportunity to serve the University of North Carolina as head swimming and diving coach," says Gangloff. "I am grateful to those coaches, support staff and athletes who have come before me and look forward to honoring them through my work. Building on recent individual successes and a rich history of program excellence, I can't wait to lead UNC swimming and diving to new heights. The culture of academic and athletic excellence at the University of North Carolina is second to none. I am excited to work with current and future Tar Heel swimmers and divers to achieve their academic and athletic dreams.
"I would also like to thank the University of Missouri, its tremendous coaches, and its administration for helping me to grow as both an individual and as a coach.
"Now it is time to get to work. Go Heels!"
In his seven years at Mizzou, Gangloff led the Tigers to five top-15 finishes at both the men's and women's NCAA Championships. The Tiger men posted back-to-back top-10 NCAA results in 2016 and 2017, with the 2016 team finishing a program-best eighth nationally and Fabian Schwingenschlogl winning the first NCAA title in school history in the 100 breaststroke. That same year the Tiger women also had an all-time best team finish, placing 11th overall.
Before his time at Missouri, Gangloff spent three years a volunteer assistant coach at Auburn, his alma mater. During his time on the Auburn coaching staff, he assisted with stroke technique, race strategy and strength and conditioning.
From 2007-09, Gangloff coached at Swim MAC Carolina in Charlotte, N.C., where he assisted in the development and implementation of program and training design. He also provided instruction on race strategy and post-race coaching for swimmers ages 10-18.
On the international stage, Gangloff made his first Olympic team in 2004, when he won a gold medal as part of the 400 medley relay in Athens. Four years later he qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games and was part of the 400 medley relay that won gold in Beijing.
At the World Championships, Gangloff was a three-time gold medalist in the 400 medley relay. He also won silver in the 50 breaststroke in 2005 and bronze in the same event in 2009. He was a team captain on both the 2009 and 2011 world teams as well as the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships and USA National Championships teams, the 2008 Short Court World Championships team and the 2010 Duel in the Pool, where he helped set a world record in the 400 medley relay.
Additionally, Gangloff participated in the Pan-American Games in 1999, 2003 and 2007, earning gold medals in the 400 medley relay in 2003 and 2007, gold in the 100 breast in 2003 and bronze in the 200 breast in 1999.
As a collegiate swimmer at Auburn, Gangloff helped the Tigers to NCAA team titles in 2003 and 2004 and four straight SEC team titles. Individually, Gangloff earned 12 total All-America honors and won SEC titles in the 100 and 200 breast and the 200 and 400 medley relays.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Gangloff earned a degree in criminology from Auburn in 2005. He and his wife Ashley, a former national champion diver at Auburn, have three daughters, Annabelle, Hattie Rose, and Kathryn.
Jack Brown- Associate Head Coach
Jack Brown was been named associate head coach for the UNC swimming and diving programs in June 2019. Brown comes to Chapel Hill after seven seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri.
“I am thrilled that Jack Brown will be joining the Carolina swimming and diving staff," Gangloff says. "Jack has experience on high-performing teams, both as an athlete and as a coach, and he has additional expertise that will benefit our staff and athletes beyond technical coaching. Jack, with a Ph.D. in sport psychology and an emphasis in performance, will be a critical component in fostering a team culture that provides our student-athletes the opportunity grow personally, academically and athletically.”
“I am extremely grateful to Mark Gangloff and the administration at UNC for granting me the opportunity to serve as the associate head coach," Brown says. "Having grown up in the South, I am very familiar with the tradition and culture of excellence that the University of North Carolina maintains, and I am thrilled to become a part of it. I believe in the values, mission and vision that Coach Gangloff has for the program, and I am excited to get to work building the program over the coming years.
“I would like to thank the University of Missouri for everything that they have done for me. I would also like to thank Coach Rhodenbaugh for the opportunities he has provided me to work, learn and grow as a coach and a person. Finally, I want to thank all the athletes at Mizzou who have given me their best over the last seven seasons. Your efforts have made this opportunity possible, and I couldn’t be prouder to have called myself your coach.
“My wife Sarah and I look forward to the adventure that the future holds and to becoming a part of the University of North Carolina community! Go Heels!”
Brown spent the last three seasons at Missouri as a full-time assistant coach following four years as a volunteer assistant. During his tenure with the Tigers, Brown worked with the middle distance, distance and individual medley groups, serving as the primary coach of the distance group for the past three seasons. While at Missouri, Brown also earned his doctorate in sport psychology. In addition to his role as a full-time coach, Brown served as the swim teams’ mental performance coach.
Prior to becoming a full-time assistant, Brown also served as head group coach of the senior group for the Columbia Swim Club where he had several athletes set Missouri Valley records and qualify for Olympic Trials, U.S. Nationals and Junior Nationals. Brown also has coaching experience with the University of Arizona and Tucson Ford Aquatics, where he was a volunteer coach in 2010.
Before earning his doctorate in sport psychology, Brown graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Arizona, where he was a member of the NCAA Championship team in 2008. A 10-time All-American, conference champion and former school record holder, Brown’s primary events were the 200 and 400 IMs. He was also named a first-team Academic All-American in 2010.
Following his collegiate career, Brown was a two-time member of the U.S. National team, a multiple-time U.S. Open champion and an Olympic Trials finalist in the 400 IM.
A native of Atlanta, Brown competed with Swim Atlanta and was a standout performer at The Westminster Schools, where he has been inducted into the athletic hall of fame. He and his wife Sarah, a former conference champion diver at Stanford and an orthopedic physician assistant, are expecting their first child in November.
Kayla Kumbier- Assistant Coach
Kayla Kumbier joined the UNC swimming and diving coaching staff prior to the 2022-23 season after spending one year as an assistant coach at LSU.
As a member of the coaching staff, Kumbier helped the Tar Heels' women's team earn a 10th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships and instructed seven All-America swimmers. UNC swimmers recorded a combined nine individual and relay records in 2023.
During her one season in Baton Rouge she primarily coached the middle distance athletes, while serving as the women’s recruiting coordinator. Under her tutelage, Katrina Milutinovich and Brooks Curry each qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2022, while the LSU men’s team finished 15th at the national championship meet.
Prior to arriving at LSU, she spent one year as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego. Prior to her time at USD, she spent two years at the UC San Diego as the lead coach for the middle-distance group, recruiting coordinator and alumni and parent liaison.
In addition to coaching Division I swimmers, she has extensive experience with club and Division II swimmers. Her competitive experience at the Division I level for the University of Northern Iowa has helped her mold the swimmers of the future at Minnesota State University, Mankato and Allegheny College.
Kumbier coached several NCAA qualifiers and All-America performers at the Division II level while at UC San Diego. A handful of qualifiers and All-Americans represented MSU during her tenure. Kumbier assisted in coaching the 2020 NCAA men’s 50 free champion, NCAA women’s 200 IM runner-up and the 2019-20 NCAA women’s 200 medley relay runner-up.
As a volunteer assistant at MSU, Mankato, Kumbier worked with the sprint, freestyle and butterfly specialists. When she arrived at Allegheny College, her role expanded to coaching and designing workouts for swimmers who specialized in sprint, middle-distance, and distance events.
She served as the head coach of the La Jolla Lightning YMCA Swim Team from 2018-2019.
Kumbier was a four-year letterman at Nothern Iowa, twice earning Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete awards. In 2014, she took home the MVC Leadership and Service Award and earned a nomination for NCAA Woman of the Year. In 2016, she was the recipient of the CSCAA Jean Freeman Scholarship which is awarded annually to six collegiate assistant coaches whose exceptional contributions have brought recognition to their institution.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in movement and exercise science with a double emphasis in exercise science and sport psychology and a minor in coaching. After graduating, she attended MSU and received her master’s in sport and exercise psychology, while serving as a graduate assistant on MSU’s staff.
Kirk Kumbier- Assistant Coach
Kirk Kumbier was named an assistant coach for the the University of North Carolina swimming and diving programs in May 2022, after spending the 2021-22 season as a volunteer assistant at LSU following a three-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of California San Diego.
As a member of the coaching staff, Kumbier helped the Tar Heels' women's team earn a 10th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships and instructed seven All-America swimmers. UNC swimmers recorded a combined nine individual and relay records in 2023.
In his lone year in Baton Rouge, Kumbier helped coach the Tigers to their highest SEC Men's Championship finish since 1997 and saw eight school records fall. He also helped tutor 2022 NCAA 50 and 100-yard freestyle champion Brooks Curry.
Prior to joining the coaching staff at LSU, Kumbier served as an assistant coach at the University of California at San Diego. He primarily coached the sprint events and took on the role of the recruiting coordinator. While at UC San Diego, three swimmers training under Kumbier's wing qualified for the U.S. Swimming Trials.
In the UCSD's final season in Division II, Kumbier helped lead both the men's and women's teams to a number one ranking in the CSCAA polls during the 2019-20 season. A total of 26 athletes earned All-American honors including Spencer Daily who became the national champion in the 50-yard freestyle.
Kumbier began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Allegheny College in 2011. He remained in the role of assistant coach until the 2013-14 campaign when he was tabbed interim head coach, and then subsequently being named to the permanent post. Kumbier guided nine of his Allegheny Gators to 14 school-record swims, with seven producing NCAA consideration qualifiers in 10 events.
Kumbier earned his bachelor's degree from Kenyon College in 2011 and helped the Lords to three consecutive Division III national titles in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He later received a Master's of Education degree from the University of Missouri in 2016.
Javier Sossa- Assistant Coach
Javier Sossa, who spent the past three years as a coach with Team Elite Aquatics in San Diego, was named an assistant swimming coach at the University of North Carolina in November 2022.
As a member of the coaching staff, Sossa helped the Tar Heels' women's team earn a 10th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships and instructed seven All-America swimmers. UNC swimmers recorded a combined nine individual and relay records in 2023.
During his three years in San Diego, Sossa worked under 2021 International Swimming Hall of Fame Inductee David Marsh, founder and director of Team Elite Aquatics, one of the top professional swimming training groups in the United States.
Sossa coached nine swimmers in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with five swimmers qualifying for event finals.
He instructed multiple medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships, FINA World Cup, and European Short Course and Long Course Championships.
Sossa served as a coach in the German National Swimming Federation and Israeli National Swimming Federation from 2019-2021.
Under his tutelage, Anastasia Gorbenko became the first Israeli world champion in 2021, capturing the gold medal at the FINA World Swimming Championships in the 50-meter breaststroke and 100-meter IM. Germany’s Marius Kusch flourished under Sossa’s guidance, capturing the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2019 European Short Course Championships.
Sossa spent three seasons as a coach in the International Swimming League (ISL), founded in 2019. He served as a home coach for the L.A. Current in 2019 and 2020 and was promoted to assistant coach of the Washington D.C. Trident in 2021.
The Trident qualified for the ISL playoffs for the first time in 2021.
A native of Colombia, Sossa swam collegiately at Oklahoma Baptist University and helped the Bison win four consecutive NAIA national championships.
He became an assistant coach at his alma mater shortly after graduating in 2015 and spent four seasons under his coach and mentor Dr. Sam Freas. Sossa served as interim head coach at OBU for five months in 2019 before joining Team Elite Aquatics.
As a member of the coaching staff that assisted in the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II before the 2017-18 season, Sossa trained student-athletes that won five Division II event titles and earned 32 First Team All-America awards.
Sossa holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in sports science and marketing and a Master of Business Administration from OBU.
Gretel Brandau- Camp Director
