HONOREE FROM SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE
- Bonnie, served as the head swim coach from 1977-1987, again from 1997-2003 and was assistant coach from 2003-2014
- She came to Sweet Briar from Yale University where she broke barriers as the first-ever female competitive swimmer at the institution and first captain of its varsity women's swimming and diving program
- Bonnie's impact on the program was immediately felt, as the team went on to become Virginia Small College Champions in the spring of 1978
- A four-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coach of the Year, Bonnie produced one AIAW National finalist, five NCAA Division III All-Americans and 18 All-Conference swimmers
- During her time at the helm of the program, the Vixens went on to win four ODAC titles while five swimmers were named ODAC Swimmer of the Year
- Bonnie was the first woman to serve as ODAC President; revised the ODAC Manual and drafted a template for ODAC sport-by-sport guidelines within the manual, a document that still exists today
- Currently, the ODAC keeps Bonnie's legacy alive through the Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award which goes to a swimmer who demonstrates dedication and true sportsmanship every year at the conference championships
Click
HERE for
Bonnie Kestner's full bio in SBC's Athletic Hall of Fame