Drew Close '12, a former school record-holder for the Bullets and a 13-time Centennial Conference medalist, enters his first season as an assistant men's and women's swimming coach at Gettysburg College in 2013-14.
Close returns to the Battlefield following an eight-month stint with Suburban Swim Club in Newtown Square, Pa., helping to instruct swimmers from ages six through 18.
At Gettysburg, Close helped the Bullets capture back-to-back Centennial Conference titles in 2011 and 2012. A freestyle mid-distance specialist, he was at one point a member of the 200-medley, 400-freestyle, and 800-freestyle relay teams that held school records. He won the conference title in the 500-freestyle as a senior, when he served as a team captain, and as a junior he also swam on the conference champion 400- and 800-freestyle relays that also set school and Centennial Conference records. During his sophomore campaign, Close captured the conference gold in the 200-freestyle.
Close also has a pair of sisters who swam for the Bullets. Demery ’09 was a freestyle specialist who still holds the school record in the 400-freestyle relay while Cassie ’13 was a backstroke competitor and three-time Centennial Conference medalist.