The Swarthmore volleyball program has been under the direction of Harleigh (Leach) Chwastyk each of the past 11 years, a time period where nearly 100 student-athletes participated in a NCAA Division III program earning regional and national recognition, both on and off the court.

Coach Chwastyk has accumulated 131 victories at the helm of Swarthmore, the most in school history and the 8th most wins in the Centennial Conference. In just the last three seasons, Chwastyk’s charges set new program watermarks for best conference finish and three post-season ECAC tournament appearances. Her peers within the conference recognized Chwastyk by naming her the Centennial Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons (2009, 2010).

Through dedicated recruiting efforts, Chwastyk has brought players from 16 states to campus. Nineteen of her players have been place on the All-Conference list and Genny Pezzola ’12 was an AVCA All-Region selection.

The student athletes at a demanding academic setting have responded, earning the AVCA Team Academic Award (team grade point average is above 3.3) six times while accumulating 27 academic all-conference selections, four CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, and a Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year.

Chwastyk is the current chair of the Centennial Conference volleyball coaches’ committee and represents the 11-member Division III conference in several aspects: NCAA Mid-Atlantic regional advisory committee, ECAC championship selection committee, an AVCA national poll voter, and most recently, chaired the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All-America Awards committee.

At Swarthmore, one of the top higher education institutions in the country, Chwastyk is an active participant in the College community. She is the coordinator of the Physical Education program within the Athletics department and, as an instructor, introduced to the student body to Pilates and Orienteering classes. Her committee work on campus is extensive, serving on the steering committee in the Physical Education & Athletics’ department review, the Swarthmore Foundation, Garnet Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and the Physical Education & Athletics Advisory Committee.

Prior to Swarthmore, Coach Chwastyk was an assistant at Smith (Mass.) College from 2000-02 for two years while she completed a Master of Science degree in exercise and sport studies.  Her head coaching resume includes stints with the men’s club program at Swarthmore, the Liberty Belles Volleyball Club 17-under team and the boys’ junior varsity program at Conard (Conn.) High School. Her summer technician docket sees Chwastyk as camp director of the Garnet Volleyball Camps at Swarthmore and the Cape Cod Volleyball Camp run by legendary Barnstable (Mass.) High School two-time national coach of the year Tom Turco.

Chwastyk’s collegiate playing career saw her serve as the two-year captain of the Trinity (Conn.) College volleyball team, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 2000.  An All-NESCAC performer in 1999, Chwastyk still holds three blocking records at Trinity. A two-sport athlete, Chwastyk was a forward on the Bantams’ women’s basketball team that captured the ECAC New England Championship in 2000. Over the years, Chwastyk also captained the Adirondack team in the Empire State Games and made the adult club circuit with various USA Volleyball teams.

An ardent believer in community and service, Chwastyk introduced Kids’ Night Out to the College and continues as a facilitator. After serving as a participant and a coach in the Cathy D’Apice Memorial Volleyball tournament in an effort to aid breast cancer research, Chwastyk started a similar effort within the Centennial Conference in 2006 with the Dig for a Cure service project. To date, the now-conference wide effort has raised over $45,000.

Chwastyk resides in nearby Rutledge, Pa. with her husband David and their son Logan and daughter Calleigh.

Helen Fitzpatrick enters her first season as an assistant volleyball coach with Swarthmore.

Fitzpatrick was the starting setter for three seasons (2009-2011) at West Chester University after transferring from University of Delaware. Fitzpatrick, a two-year captain, was the team assist leader all three seasons and was awarded All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors each season.

A 2008 Merion Mercy Academy graduate, Fitzpatrick was the 2007 Pennsylvania State Gatorade Player of the Year and a three-time, first team all-state performer. She played club volleyball for Synergy Volleyball Club.

Prior to joining the Garnet staff, Fitzpatrick has coached 12’s-14’s teams with Sparks Volleyball Club since 2009.  Her camp and clinic experience includes coaching at the West Chester Volleyball Camp and ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center Camp.

She currently pursuing a degree in elementary education at West Chester and resides in Springfield, Pa.

Kelly Jansen joins the Garnet at the start of the 2012 season as an assistant volleyball coach.

Jansen, a 2009 graduate of NCAA Division I Mercer University, was a four-year starter as a setter.  A two-year team captain, she led her team to four consecutive appearances in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.

A Delaware County native, Jansen graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High school in 2005, where she was a four-year varsity letter winner, team captain, 2004 All-Delco player of the year, first team all-state, two-time first team All-Delco, three-time first team All Catholic.

Prior to joining the Garnet staff, she spent one year as an assistant coach at Mercer while completing her Masters of Education degree.  She has served as the clinic coordinator for youth volleyball clinics in the Philadelphia area and coached various camps and clinics at Tattnall Square Academy and both the NIKE Volleyball Camp and Garnet Volleyball Camps at Swarthmore. 

She currently resides in Woodlyn, Pa.