Ron Lee II enters his first season as the Head Coach of the Norwich University men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs in 2026-27. He also serves as the Aquatics Director for Goodyear Pool.
Lee assumes leadership of one of the premier NCAA Division III swimming and diving programs in New England following one of the most successful eras in Norwich Athletics history. During the previous seven seasons under Head Coach Jennifer Cournoyer, the Cadets established themselves as a conference powerhouse, capturing nine Great Northeast Athletic Conference championships, including four consecutive men’s and women’s championship sweeps from 2023-26, while producing NCAA regional qualifiers, conference champions, school records, and numerous academic award winners.
Lee arrives in Northfield after spending the past 13 years leading the Amarillo Independent School District swimming program in Texas, where he served as district-wide swimming coordinator and head coach. Charged with overseeing a four-campus program serving more than 100 student-athletes annually, Lee transformed the program into one of the state’s consistent performers, increasing the number of regional qualifiers from eight to 54 in just five years despite limited facility access.
His teams captured five district championships and two regional runner-up finishes while producing state medalists, state finalists, team record holders, and NCAA Division I and Division II student-athletes.
In addition to his scholastic coaching responsibilities, Lee has served as Co-Director and Head Coach of Amarillo Swim Team, a USA Swimming club serving approximately 100 swimmers ages 8-18. In that role, he has overseen athlete recruitment, assistant coach development, budgeting, travel logistics, facility management, and long-term athlete development while building a sustainable culture rooted in accountability, relationships, and competitive excellence.
A veteran educator, Lee has also spent more than a decade teaching International Baccalaureate History, AP European History, AP Psychology, and other humanities courses. His commitment to developing students in both the classroom and the pool reflects the holistic approach that drew him to Norwich’s mission of producing leaders of character.
Lee earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports & Exercise Science from West Texas A&M University before completing a Master of Theological Studies from Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, where his graduate work emphasized theological formation and ethics.
A decorated swimmer himself, Lee was a Consideration All-American in the butterfly during his competitive high school career before being selected as an Olympic Torchbearer during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
Lee is a multiple-time District Swimming Coach of the Year and has written and presented extensively on leadership, education, coaching, and culture. Most recently, he authored Swimming: An Aquatic Sport for Terrestrial Creatures for the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association Newsletter in 2024.
At Norwich, Lee will look to continue the championship standard established by the Cadets’ swimming and diving programs while building meaningful relationships with student-athletes, alumni, and the campus community. His background in athlete development, education, leadership, and program building will guide the Cadets into their next chapter.
