St. Joseph's Prep hires female swimming coach

ST. JOSEPH'S PREP has done something for the first time in its 164-year history: hire a female varsity coach.

Yesterday, the all-boys school announced that Kelley Mangold Voss has been named new head swimming coach. The Prep has female assistants in volleyball and bowling, but Mangold Voss is the first varsity head coach.

Mangold Voss, 27, is married to Prep alum Dan Voss (class of '05), who played center for the Hawks before going on to Georgia Tech. So, she is already well-acquainted with the the Prep and its athletic history.

"My goal is to beat La Salle every year," she said with a laugh.

That a big goal, considering the Explorers have won 27 consecutive Catholic League titles. But, the new coach comes to 17th and Girard well-prepared.

Mangold Voss, who attended Archbishop Alter High in Kettering, Ohio, earned a scholarship to swim at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Ga., where she specialized in the 50-free. She also operated her own swimming school with more than 400 participants.

"It is great to be able to bring someone like Kelley into the Prep to lead our swim team," athletic director Dennis Hart said in a statement. "Her experience in the sport, plus her access to those who have competed at the professional and Olympic level gives her insights that will help our student-athletes."

That access includes her brother Nick Mangold, who plays center for the New York Jets, and sister Holley, a weightlifter who competed in the 2012 Olympics. And, Kelley's mother Therese, also an accomplished swimmer, was the first girl from her high school to get an athletic scholarship.

Mangold Voss said she found out about the Prep opening - made vacant when George Willard left after one season - while doing an online search.

"I Googled the Prep and two positions came up," she said. "One was for development director and the other for swimming coach."

The rest is truly history.