July 27, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Catherine Vogt, an assistant swimming coach for the past three years at the University of North Carolina, has resigned to accept a similar position at the University of Southern California. Vogt worked primarily with UNC's distance swimmers. Head coach Rich DeSelm has indicated a search is underway to find Vogt's replacement.

Vogt's appointment at USC will allow her to work with current Trojan swimmers as well as the accompanying club program that trains postgraduate swimmers. Her husband Matt, who serves in the U.S. Marine Corps, is being redeployed to Camp Pendleton near San Diego after spending many years flying Harrier attack jets out of Cherry Point Marine Base in North Carolina. The couples has maintained homes in both Chapel Hill and in Emerald Island, N.C.

"Catherine's impact at UNC has been tremendous. We thank her for everything she has done as a student-athlete, an alumna and an assistant coach. UNC is better off for Catherine's impact and heartfelt passion for UNC. She will truly be missed," said Tar Heel head coach Rich DeSelm.

Vogt recently had swimmers from her training group post a quartet of Top 12 finishes at the 2008 United States Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha. Sophomore Joe Kinderwater finished eighth and sophomore Chip Peterson 12th in the 1500-meter freestyle, senior Whitney Sprague took 11th in the 800-meter freestyle and sophomore Tyler Harris placed 12th in the 400-meter individual medley at the Trials. Vogt coached a trio of All-Americas in the 2008 NCAA Championships as Sprague placed second in the 1650-yard freestyle, Joe Kinderwater was sixth in the 1650-yard freestyle and Tyler Harris was 14th in the 400-yard individual medley at NCAAs.

Sprague set school records in the 1000- and 1650-yard freestyles last season, while Kinderwater set the school mark in the 1000-yard freestyle and Harris in the 400-yard individual medley. That trio combined to win four individual ACC titles last season.

Vogt, formerly a top-flight age group coach in the North Carolina club ranks, just finished her third year as a full-time assistant with the Tar Heel Swimming and Diving Program. A 2000 graduate of UNC, Vogt was hired in August 2005 when UNC added an additional full-time position to the staff.

Vogt is a nationally recognized coach. At the 2007 U.S. Open Water World Championships Trials in Fort Myers, Fla., two of her swimmers, Chip Peterson and Joe Kinderwater qualified second and third in the men's 10-kilometer race.

In the past three years, she has served as assistant U.S. coach at the 2006 World Open Water Swimming Championships in Naples, Italy; as the U.S. head coach at the 2006 Pan Pacific Open Water Championships in Victoria, British Columbia; as the U.S. head coach for open water swimming at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; as an assistant coach for the 2007 U.S. men's swimming team at the Pan American Games; and as head coach for the U.S. Team in the 2008 Open World World Championships, which was also the qualifying meet for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Vogt was a four-year letterman as a Tar Heel undergraduate when she competed as Catherine Frock. Specializing in distance freestyle events during her career, she helped lead UNC to an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship during her freshman year. Her top ACC individual finish was a fifth place in the 1650-yard freestyle in 1996.

Vogt studied education and psychology while at Carolina, earning her degree as a double major in May of 2000. She also earned a position on the ACC Academic Honor Roll and Dean's List at Carolina over a period of three consecutive years - 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Vogt joined the staff at UNC in 2005 and in 2007 she helped lead the Tar Heel women's team to their first ACC championships since 2002. Vogt was the head coach of the 2007 U.S. Pan American Games open water team that competed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tar Heel sophomore Chip Peterson won the 10K open water event in that competition.

She was also an assistant coach with the pool staff at the Pan Am Games, the first female coach named to a U.S. men's team staff at an international competition. UNC's Peterson won the gold medal in the 1500-meter freestyle at the Pan Am Games.

During the 2006-07 collegiate season she worked with the distance swimmers at UNC. The Tar Heel women placed 1-2-3 in the 1650-yard freestyle at the ACC Championships and the men placed 2-3 and finished with five out of the top 16 places overall in the event. At the NCAA meet in March 2007, UNC had two championship finals finishes in the 1650-yard freestyle with Whitney Sprague placing third and Chip Peterson sixth. Carolina also had two consolation finalists in the 500 free.

In 2006, after attending U.S. Nationals with North Carolina Aquatic Club as an assistant coach, Vogt was appointed by United States Swimming as the head coach of the Pan Pacific Open Water Championship Team that competed in Victoria, British Columbia in August 2006. Her appointment as the head coach for a major international event marked only the second time that a woman had held such a position for any USA team. Vogt led the Americans to victories in the men's and women's 10K races and brought home the overall Pan Pacific Team Award.

A member of the U.S. coaching staff during the 2005 Open Water World Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Vogt earned a similar assignment for the 2006 Open Water World Championship Team that traveled to Naples, Italy, in August 2006. Vogt personally coached Tar Heel standout Chip Peterson who followed up his 2005 World Championship victory in the 10K with strong 2006 performances resulting in second place in the 5K and 6th place in the 10K.

In May 2006, she was the head coach of the Pan American Open Water Championship Team that competed in Salinas, Ecuador. Under Vogt's tutelage, the American men's team won the 5K and 10K and the women's team won both events as well. The Americans took home the overall team award at the event's conclusion.

Prior to accepting her position at Carolina, Vogt's last full-time coaching position was with the Carteret Currents Swimming Club in Morehead City, N.C.