Synchronized Swimming Coaches
KIM WURZEL-LOPORTO - HEAD COACH
Kim Wurzel LoPorto has taken on the challenge of presenting Incarnate Word's first entry into the world of collegiate synchronized swimming. Not only is she a pioneer at UIW but Incarnate Word is the only school in the state of Texas with a synchro team.
During the first year of action in the University's sparkling new Ann Barshop Natatorium, LoPorto's team competed with some of the top universities in the nation and held its own including an initial victory over Stanford.
In their first run at the national title, the Cardinals in 2002 placed 17th in the nation. A year later, in 2003, they significantly improved their position by soaring upward to sixth in the entire country. And, in 2004, the Cardinals advanced another notch up the ladder to fifth in the United States.
Then came the spring of 2005 and the Cardinals forged their way into the third spot in the nation, breaking the hold traditional powers had had on the top spots.
Coach LoPorto has seen her team capture significant honors along the way including 10 academic All-Americans, and five All-Americans. Plus, two were all-collegiate in 2003--Jessica Brown and Laura Davis. They were two of only two swimmers from Division II to achieve this honor. The 2005 season found UIW four USA Synchro All-Americans plus six were Academic All-America.
LoPorto was a member of the 2000 United States Olympic synchro team and has been a member of the national team eight years. In that time her teams won four titles. And, seven times she was a member of the All-America team.
She receive her psychology degree from Incarnate Word in
the spring of 2005. Kim and husband Brandon are the parents of daughter
Jordan.
Erin Murphy -- Graduate Assistant
Erin Murphy was named the graduate assistant for the Cardinals’ synchronized swimming program at the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year.
Murphy, a Universal City native, was a swimmer at Southwestern University in Georgetown, where she graduated with a BA in Communications in 2005. She was named the captain of the women’s team while at Southwestern.
On her resume, Murphy has been a volunteer assistant coach at Southwestern for one season and has been a coach counselor at the University of Texas Swim Camp. She has also been coaching in the AAAA for one year.
While at Southwestern, Murphy studied abroad, spending a semester in London, England, and then attended Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, where she gained her graduate certificate in sport management.
At Incarnate Word, Murphy will be studying towards her MAA in sport management.
