Rachel Komisarz, American swimmer and coach
Rachel Komisarz (born December 5, 1976), also known by her married name Rachel Komisarz-Baugh, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder. She began swimming when she was a senior at Warren Mott high school because of a gymnastics injury that left her with two fractured vertebrae. Komisarz swam at the University of Kentucky and became a seven-time All American swimmer and three-time SEC Champion by the end of her four years at the University. Not only was Komisarz very dedicated to swimming while at the University of Kentucky, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Kinesiology major with an emphasis in exercise.
She swam for the United States team at the 2004 Summer Olympics, where she had won a gold medal in the women's 4×200-meter freestyle relay, and a silver medal in the women's 4×100-meter medley relay, after swimming in the preliminary session of the meet. Komisarz did not make the 2008 Olympics, and had shoulder surgery shortly after. Once she had recovered, she tried to get back into the pool, but it just was not the same anymore. It was in 2009 that she stopped competitively swimming.
Komisarz was name an assisted swim coach at the University of Louisville in 2009, where she help build the men's and women's team to 5 conference championships. She was the women's recruiting coordinated and helped bring in the top athletes in the world, ranking the recruiting classes 12th and 7th in the NCAA for the 2010 and 2011 respectively. During her years at the University of Louisville, Komisarz also earned a master's degree in Sports Administration.
Komisarz was named the head coach of the Ohio Bobcats women's swimming team at Ohio University in 2014, after serving five years as an assistant coach for the Louisville Cardinals swimming team at the University of Louisville. While she was an assistant at the University, she helped bring the women's team to place fifteenth and the men's team to place 10th in the NCAA Championships.
Komisarz took the job at Ohio University in 2014 because she wanted to build a program at the university. Since taking the job at Ohio University, Komisarz's team has finished 6th twice at the conference championships. The Bobcats improved one spot to 5th in the 2017 conference championships. Komisarz currently has a meet record of 18-15, and helped 3 swimmers qualify for the Olympic Trial.
On June 21, 2018 Komisarz along with Conrad Dobler will be enshrined into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in Troy, Michigan.