University of Maine Athletics

Susan Lizzotte returns for her 15th year as the Head Coach for the Black Bears in 2024-25. Lizzotte has been on the coaching staff since her graduation from UMaine in 1999. She graduated with her Bachelors in Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) with a concentration in Teaching & Coaching. She took over the program as Head Coach in 2009.

Lizzotte finished an outstanding career swimming for the Black Bears in 1999, and joined the program as an assistant coach in 2000. A four-year MVP of the program, she won four America East individual event titles, set six school records and earned two scholar athlete awards before graduating in 1999. She served as captain her senior year. In 2013, Lizzotte was inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

Lizzotte also leads a team that excels in the classroom. This past fall, both men and women’s programs had the highest GPA in program history. Multiple Swimmers and Divers have been recognized in elite honor societies on campus such as All Maine Women, Senior Sculls, Sophomore Eagles, and Sophomore Owls.

Lizzotte has guided the Black Bears to break 114 Individual School Records, 50 School Relay Records, multiple Top 10 Performances in school history during her time as head coach. 

Her leadership, work ethic and ability to bring out the best in others have made her a great addition to the Head Coaching staff at UMaine. Susan and her husband Jaret, both UMaine Swimming Alumni, have two children, Jackson and Olivia.

• 17 School Records
• 65 New Top 10 Performances in Program History
• 3 NCAA Diving Zone Qualifiers
• 1 Men’s CSCAA NIC Individual A Cut- Cam Watelet
• Highest Women’s Team Fall Semester GPA in Program History
• Highest Men’s Team Fall GPA in Program History
• 1 Female earned America East All-Academic Team, Liz Stoelzel 
• 1 Male earned America East All-Academic Team, Zach Hopp with 4.0 GPA
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Ainslie Boswell
• 3 Sophomore Owls Honor Society Member-Calvin Comeau, Julian LaPietra, and Casey Laliberte 
• 1 Sophomore Eagles Honor Society Member-Maddie Ruppert

• 4 School Records
• 2 NCAA Diving Zone Qualifiers
• 1 Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award Winner-Riley Clark
• 1 Sophomore Eagles Honor Society Member-Hannah Deighan
• 2 Sophomore Owls Honor Society Members-Andrew Hoy & Donovan Durand

• 7 School Records
• 1 NCAA Diving Zone Qualifier
• America East Women’s 2022 Most Outstanding Diver: PhilAnn Dixon
• America East Women’s 1-Meter Diving Champion: PhilAnn Dixon
• America East Women’s 3-Meter Diving Champion: PhilAnn Dixon
• 3 Female’s earned America East All-Academic Team, Morgan Bui, PhilAnn Dixon, and Morgan Oehler

• 7 School Records
• 3 Female’s earned America East All-Academic Team, Morgan Bui, PhilAnn Dixon, and Caroline Strolic
• 1 Male earned America East All-Academic Team, Kellen Doyle
• Outstanding Graduating Student for College of Liberal Arts & Sciences-Carline Strolic
• Dean Smith Award winner-Andrew Plese
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Caroline Strolic
• 1 Sophomore Eagles Honor Society Member-Jenn Prior

• 11 School Records
• America East Women’s 50 Free Champion: Emma Blair
• 3 Females earned America East All-Academic Team, PhilAnn Dixon, Anna McCurdy and Caroline Strolic
• 2 All Maine Women Honor Society Members-Alex Bromley & Anna McCurdy
• 1 Sophomore Eagles Honor Society Member-Morgan Oehler

• 16 School Records
• America East Women’s 2019 Most Outstanding Swimmer: Juliana McDonald
• America East Women’s 50 Free Champion: Juliana McDonald
• America East Women’s 100 Free Champion: Juliana McDonald
• America East Women’s 200 Free Champion: Juliana McDonald
• America East Women’s 200 Free Relay Champions: Emma Blair, Rita Chen, Sabrina Nuttall, and Juliana McDonald
• 1 Women’s CSCAA NIC Individual A Cut
• 1 Male earned America East All-Academic Team, Spencer Lindsay
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Shayle Kleisigner
• 2 Sophomore Owls Honor Society Members-Jacob Ketch & Drew St. Jean

• 7 School Records
• 3 Female’s earned America East Presidential Scholar-Athlete Honors, Emily Borger, Victoria Kingston, Marsha Pominova 
• 1 Female earned America East All-Academic Team-Emily Borger
• 1 Female earned AmericaEast Winter Scholar Athlete-Emily Borger
• 2 Males earned America East All-Academic Team, Spencer Lindsay and Sean Driscoll
• 1 Senior Skull Honor Society Member -Kevin Clyne
• 2 All Maine Women Honor Society Members-Victoria Kingston & Marsh Pominova

• 2 School Records
• 4 Females earned America East All-Academic Team, Emily Borger, Victoria Kingston, Cece McEachearn, and Shayla Kleisinger
• 1 Senior Skull Honor Society Member -Tim Edison
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Cece McEachearn
• 1 Sophomore Owls Honor Society Member-Alex Watson

• 19 School Records
• 4 Females earned America East All-Academic Team, Emily Borger, Victoria Kingston, Cece McEachearn, and Marsha Pominova

• 6 School Records
• 2 Females earned America East All-Academic Team, Kailey Dowd and Naja Harvey
• 2 Senior Skull Honor Society Members -Ryan Fahey & Spencer Warmuth
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Naja Harvey

• 15 School Records
• NCAA B-Cut Naja Harvey 100 breaststroke
• 1 Females earned America East All-Academic Team, Naja Harvey
• 2 Senior Skull Honor Society Members - Cody LaChance & Robbie Bickford

• 20 School Records
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Laura Duran

• 19 School Records

• 6 School Records
• 1 Senior Skull Honor Society Member -Jeremy Bender
• 1 All Maine Women Honor Society Member-Sam Bond
• Dean Smith Award winner-Jeremy Bender

• 8 School Records