College Women’s Swimming News – Ashley Cox Named Head Coach at Guilford

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Local club coach Ashley Cox was named head coach of Guilford College’s women’s swimming team Wednesday. She marks the fourth head coach in school history and replaces Amanda Fontenot, who resigned in July to take a position at the University of Maryland.

Ashley Cox - Guilford College

“We are thrilled to have Ashley join our team,” said Guilford Athletics Director Tom Palombo. “She will do a great job continuing the progress that Amanda made with our swim team.”

Cox has coached the Green Valley Summer Swim Team for the past two years. She also serves as an assistant coach and director of communications for the Greensboro Swimming Association (Swim GSA). More than 250 swimmers have competed under her supervision in various regional and national competitions. Cox has also utilized a strong communications background that includes a stop at RLF Communications in Greensboro to enhance the marketing and promotion of her teams and the sport as a whole.

“In addition to offering an excellent historic and academic setting, Guilford is a place where school spirit, friendships, and being a well-rounded adult thrive,” Cox said. “I’m excited the team is small enough to be close-knit, but also looking forward to recruiting and inviting more students into the swimming family.”

Born in California, but raised in Greensboro, Cox has been swimming since the age of 5, most notably for Grandover Swim & Racquet Club, Bishop McGuinness High School, and Swim GSA. Still a Grandover record holder and a four-year varsity letter winner at Bishop McGuinness, she competes as a Masters swimmer, an open-water competitor and triathlete. She is an American Swimming Coaches’ Association Level II certified coach.

Cox earned her degree in communications with a focus in media studies/production and screenwriting from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2013. She spent time in office administration and writing before serving in various roles at the Chapel Hill YMCA and Chapel Hill High School, where she began her coaching career.

Guilford opens the season October 6-7 at the Converse Invitational.