Swimming & DivingThe Kent Denver swim and dive team has established itself as one of the premier programs in Colorado—highlighted by the school's first team state championship in February of 2026. The Sun Devils also boast five top-5 team state finishes at the 3A state meet in the past nine years, as well as 10 individual state titles since 2019.
Starting in the 2021-22 season, the program welcomed Head Coach Kim Garcia to lead the Sun Devil Swim and Dive family.
"Kim brings great energy to our program," Athletics Director Jeff Hollway said at the time. "We have very positive momentum, and Kim's appointment will only continue to foster a positive experience for our team."
In her first season, Coach Garcia led Kent Denver to 15th place out of 32 teams at the 3A state championship meet. The team has continued to climb each year, finishing ninth in 2023, then 5th, then 3rd in February 2025 and then winning the first state title in program history in the 2025-2026 season. That state championship team also featured six individual state titles in the 4x200 Yard Medley Relay, 50 Freestyle, 500 Freestyle, 4x200 Freestyle Relay, 100 Breaststroke and 4x400 Freestyle Relay.
The diving team has also had tremendous success in recent years, from Dive Coach Lise Kafka winning Coach of the Year to Dea Mielenz '25 finishing second in the state individually in 2025 and Liz Kennealey '28 taking third in 2026.
In addition to the program's success in the pool, Coach Garcia emphasizes the importance of building a positive culture, while helping student-athletes develop valuable life skills such as hard work, teamwork and the confidence to achieve whatever goals are in front of them.
"As a coach, I will reinforce the supportive and dynamic culture of Kent Denver Swimming and Diving," she says. "So much of who I am today—and certainly my core values as a coach—come from my experiences with positive, encouraging and 'athlete-first' teams like the Sun Devils."
