Dordt University hires its first ever head swim coach

Dordt University has announced the hiring of Mason Youngblood, its first ever head swim coach.

Youngblood is currently the head swim coach at Silsbee High School in Silsbee, Texas, and is in his fourth season at Edwards-Johnson Memorial Silsbee Middle School. He swam four years at Ouchita Baptist University (Arkansas) and graduated in 2020 with a degree in kinesiology/leisure recreation and sports administration.

“I look forward to engaging individuals to help them grow spiritually, academically and athletically,” said Youngblood. “As a coach I will use my platform to push student-athletes to be equipped as Christ followers during their time at Dordt and after their time here is complete. I'm excited to have the opportunity to grow this program and to develop athletes into strong leaders on campus.”

Dordt University announced its plan to add varsity swimming in May 2023 and the women’s and men’s teams will compete in the 2024-25 academic year. The All-Seasons Center, located adjacent to the Dordt University campus, will be the home for the program.

“We are grateful Mason has accepted this challenge to build a swim program, “ sayd Trent Roose, interim director of athletics at Dordt. “We look forward to him developing student-athletes in the pool and equip them to grow their faith and their academics. Mason has shown in this process that he embraces the Defender Way, and we look forward to beginning competitions in 2024-25.”

Fellow Great Plains Athletic Conference members the College of Saint Mary (Nebraska), Jamestown (North Dakota), Midland (Nebraska) and Morningside (Iowa) currently offer swimming. Those four schools along with Olivet Nazarene (Illinois), Bethel (Kansas), University of Saint Mary (Kansas), Sterling (Kansas) and Aquinas (Michigan) comprise the current Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

A schedule for the 2024-25 school year will be released in coming weeks. For more information, visit godordt.com.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Dordt, located in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes.com, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.