SALEM, Va. – The Roanoke College athletic department announced on Friday the hiring of Brett Fonder as its next head men's and women's swimming coach.

The Maroon men's swim team placed second in the eight-team Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championships last year, while the Maroon women took third out of 11 teams.

"Brett is from a swimming family," said Roanoke College director of athletics Curtis Campbell.  "He has coached many individuals who have gone on to have successful collegiate careers. Brett will bring stability to the swim team and I look forward to watching him build a championship-winning program."

Fonder is the owner and head coach of the Forest Hills Swim Club in Roanoke. He owns and operates the neighborhood pool with over 450 families and increased the swim team from 40 to 125 members.

He served as the owner and head coach of the Lynchburg Aquatic Club from August 2021 to August 2023, producing multiple state qualifiers and champions, and was the head age group coach of the Virginia Gators from 2006 to 2021. Fonder consistently coached state champions, state record holders, and even national age group record holders. The Gators were honored as a USA Swimming Gold Medal Team multiple times which means they were Top 20 in America.
 
Fonder also was the head coach for the Roanoke and Hunting Hills Country Clubs. Also, coached Hidden Valley High School Girls to Back to Back State Swimming Titles in 2008 and 2009.

A four-time Virginia Swimming Swim Coach of the Year, he served as USA Swimming National Select Camp coach and was a USA Swimming multiple time National Coach of the Year nominee.

"I want to take a moment to thank President Shushok, AD Curtis Campbell, Senior Associate AD John Farmer, and the rest of the faculty and staff at Roanoke College for this incredible opportunity," said Fonder. "Roanoke College has always been a special place for me as I grew up on campus following my brother around during his athletic career. I look forward to building on my family's legacy on campus and plan to build a winning program in and out of the pool. Go Maroons!" 

Fonder earned a scholarship to compete at West Virginia University, where he graduated in 2006 with a bachelor of science in business management and a minor in communication studies.
 
During High School he swam for Cave Spring High School where he was a multiple time state champion. In addition, he swam for the Virginia Gators and was a State champion and YMCA National Champion.

Brett is the brother of RC Athletic Hall of Famer Dustin Fonder (men's soccer and men's basketball), a member of the first-ever class inducted into the ODAC Hall of Fame. Dustin currently is the head men's soccer coach at Division I Campbell University.