SWEET BRIAR, Va. – Sweet Briar College has selected former head swim coach and alumna Donna Hodgert '89 as its next Director of Athletics. Hodgert will return to campus on July 1st to take on the role.
"Donna's return to Sweet Briar College is thrilling for all of us, but especially Sweet Briar's stellar student-athletes," said President Mary Pope M. Hutson. "Her intimate knowledge of our athletic program, her experience as a coach and mentor, and her familiarity with our facilities and programs will be particularly advantageous in leading Vixen Athletics. We are so happy to welcome her home."
Originally named the head swim coach, aquatics director and lecturer at Sweet Briar in July of 2014, Hodgert spent four years in that capacity. Additionally, Hodgert served as the Interim Director of Athletics from May 2017 – June 2018.
As Interim AD, Hodgert's responsibilities included overseeing the athletics' budget, scheduling of competitions, compliance reporting to the ODAC and NCAA, managing and developing strategies and messaging plans for athlete recruitment, ensuring the growth of roster size and competitiveness and generating revenue opportunities through facility rentals, clinics and summer camps.
"It is an incredible honor to return home to my alma mater," said Hodgert. "Sweet Briar shaped the person I am today, and it fills me with pride and gratitude to now serve the coaches and student-athletes who make Vixen Athletics so special. This is more than a role, it's a calling, and I take great pride in returning to lead with purpose, passion and heart."
Hodgert returns to Sweet Briar from the Country Club of Charleston where she has served as the Director of Aquatics and Swim Coach since April of 2021. In Charleston, Hodgert oversaw the management of the club aquatics facility and programming, hired, trained and supervised swim coaches and lifeguards, maintained inventory reports and safety data sheets in compliance with SC DHEC and OHSA, marketed and promoted the aquatics program and oversaw and managed all aspects of the summer league swim program.
After leaving Sweet Briar in 2018, Hodgert was named the Associate Director of Aquatics at Division I Liberty University. While at Liberty, she served as the primary point of contact and led game day operations for their Division I swimming and diving teams and for USA Swimming events. Additionally, Hodgert hired, supervised, trained and evaluated all aquatics staff, sought revenue generation through facility rentals, developed and implemented a leadership curriculum and oversaw the daily maintenance, operations and budget of three aquatic facilities.
Before returning to Sweet Briar in 2014, Hodgert served for seven years as Athletic Director, Physical Education Teacher, and Cross Country Coach at James River Day School in Lynchburg, Virginia.
As a student-athlete Hodgert (née Meyer) was named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Conference team in 1986, 1987 (200 free, 1000 free, 200 breast, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM), 1988 (200 free, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM) and 1989. She still holds two Vixen Swimming program records: the 400 Individual Medley (Short Course Meters) and the 400 Medley Relay (Short Course Yards).
A graduate of Sweet Briar in 1989, Hodgert earned her B.A. in Spanish and International Studies.
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