Carolyn Bolden Santee enters her first season as an assistant coach for the Duquesne swimming and diving program in 2026-27.
Santee joins Duquesne after serving as a graduate assistant coach at the University of West Florida, where she helped guide one of the nation's premier NCAA Division II programs to consecutive conference championships and national success.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Carolyn to our Duquesne Swimming and Diving family,” Sheets explained. “From our first phone conversation to our discussions at the convention, I felt she would be a great fit for our program and culture. She possesses an enthusiasm for the sport, a desire to learn and improve at her craft, while putting the focus on the student-athletes first and foremost.”
At West Florida, Santee assisted with all aspects of the Argonauts' swimming and diving program, including practice planning, recruiting, athlete development, travel coordination, and program operations. She played a key role in helping the program capture back-to-back New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference (NSISC) championships in 2025 and 2026.
During her tenure, West Florida produced numerous NCAA Division II All-Americans and national champions. At the 2026 NCAA Division II Championships, Santee helped coach nine student-athletes to a fourth-place team finish while contributing to 34 All-America performances, three national titles, and three national records.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the Duquesne Swimming and Diving coaching staff,” Santee explained. “It is an honor to be part of a program with such a strong tradition of excellence in the pool, the classroom, and the community. I look forward to working alongside Coach Dave and the Duquesne University athletic department to contribute to the continued success and personal growth of our student-athletes.”
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Santee serves as a master's coach with Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club, where she designs and implements individualized training programs for competitive swimmers, triathletes, and open-water athletes. She also worked as an assistant coach at Messiah University and has experience coaching age-group swimmers with the West Shore YMCA.
A native of Pennsylvania, Santee earned her bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in athletic coaching from Millersville University, graduating summa cum laude in 2023. She recently completed her master's degree in movement science and sports performance at the University of West Florida.
As a student-athlete, Santee competed at both Liberty and Millersville, where she specialized in middle-distance freestyle events. During her three seasons with the Marauders, she helped lead the program to a 19-5 record in dual meets. Santee ranks among Millersville's all-time leaders with six top-10 performances and holds the school record in the 200-yard freestyle.
