Coach Melissa joined the Columbus Hurricanes in 2020 after relocating from Iowa with her family. She brings more than a decade of coaching experience, having worked with swimmers since 2011 in Iowa and previously in Florida, where she began coaching in 1998 while attending the University of South Florida. A competitive swimmer herself from age 4 through her freshman year of college, Melissa’s personal career was cut short by injury, but her passion for the sport carried forward into coaching.

Melissa specializes in working with age group swimmers 14 & under, developing athletes who regularly qualify for and medal at state and regional championships. She is especially proud of helping young swimmers build confidence and skills both in and out of the water.

During the summers, Melissa leads the Columbus Aquatic Club’s introductory swim team program, Tiger Sharks. She is also an American Red Cross certified lifeguard instructor and enjoys mentoring future aquatics professionals.

Melissa comes from a true swimming family—her husband, Jay, is known as the “Voice of the Hurricanes” as the team’s meet announcer, her father is a retired meet official who still volunteers on deck as a timer, and all four of her daughters are swimmers and divers. Her oldest daughter, now grown, continues the tradition by coaching swim and dive at a local high school and her three high school-aged daughters swim for the Hurricanes.

Melissa is passionate about fundraising and advocating for childhood cancer research after one of her daughters went through treatment. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing games, weekly lunches with her dad and spending her days with her three dogs, Journey, Remi and Mazie, and her cat, Penny.