Molly Belk
Molly Belk is Minnesota Native and comes to Minnesota Swim Camps after most recently acting as Assistant Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach at Purdue University.
Belk began her coaching career at Minnesota, serving as a volunteer assistant with the Gophers during the 2011-12 school year while pursuing a master’s degree in elementary education. She earned both a bachelor’s of science and a master’s of education in elementary education. In 2012, the Minnesota women won the Big Ten title and finished 15th at the NCAA Championships.
From July 2017 to November 2018 Molly Belk was the head coach of the men’s and women’s programs at Manhattan College. She was the youngest DI Female Head Coach of a combined Men and Women's program at the time. The Jaspers broke 25 school records during the 2017-18 season.
In 2018 Coach Belk started her tenure at Purdue University. During 2018 Program records by seniors Jackie Smailis (100 and 200 back) and Taite Kitchel (100 fly) as well as the 200 and 400 medley relay teams highlighted Belk's first season with the Boilermakers. In addition, Senior Taite Kitchel closed out her distinguished career as a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier in 2019. She eclipsed the program record in the 100 butterfly and was recognized as Purdue Athletics' female recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor.
In 2019 Molly Coached Paralympic swimmer and 50-meter fly world champion Evan Austin. Austin qualified for his third Paralympics in June 2021. Austin went on to win a pair of medals at the Paralympic Games, including gold in the 50 fly (S7) with an American record time of 28.98. He also took bronze in the 400 free (S7). During the 2019 fall semester, Olympian Jinq En Phee represented Malaysia and Purdue at the Southeast Asian Games and FINA Swimming World Cup in Budapest. With Belk on hand in the Philippines, Phee won gold in both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke. It was her third consecutive gold in the 100 and she's a seven-time medalist at the biennial showcase overall. Jinq En Phee then went on to qualify for her second Olympic Team and represented Malaysia it the 2021 Tokyo Olympics During Belk's time at Purdue Kaersten Meitz was added to the USA Swimming National Team, punctuated by qualifying for the World University Games. She was a finalist in the 400 and 800 free at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
As a swimmer at Minnesota, Belk was Minnesota swimming & diving’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient as a senior and also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree She was an NCAA qualifier and 2-time team Captain.
Belk began her coaching career at Minnesota, serving as a volunteer assistant with the Gophers during the 2011-12 school year while pursuing a master’s degree in elementary education. She earned both a bachelor’s of science and a master’s of education in elementary education. In 2012, the Minnesota women won the Big Ten title and finished 15th at the NCAA Championships.
From July 2017 to November 2018 Molly Belk was the head coach of the men’s and women’s programs at Manhattan College. She was the youngest DI Female Head Coach of a combined Men and Women's program at the time. The Jaspers broke 25 school records during the 2017-18 season.
In 2018 Coach Belk started her tenure at Purdue University. During 2018 Program records by seniors Jackie Smailis (100 and 200 back) and Taite Kitchel (100 fly) as well as the 200 and 400 medley relay teams highlighted Belk's first season with the Boilermakers. In addition, Senior Taite Kitchel closed out her distinguished career as a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier in 2019. She eclipsed the program record in the 100 butterfly and was recognized as Purdue Athletics' female recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor.
In 2019 Molly Coached Paralympic swimmer and 50-meter fly world champion Evan Austin. Austin qualified for his third Paralympics in June 2021. Austin went on to win a pair of medals at the Paralympic Games, including gold in the 50 fly (S7) with an American record time of 28.98. He also took bronze in the 400 free (S7). During the 2019 fall semester, Olympian Jinq En Phee represented Malaysia and Purdue at the Southeast Asian Games and FINA Swimming World Cup in Budapest. With Belk on hand in the Philippines, Phee won gold in both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke. It was her third consecutive gold in the 100 and she's a seven-time medalist at the biennial showcase overall. Jinq En Phee then went on to qualify for her second Olympic Team and represented Malaysia it the 2021 Tokyo Olympics During Belk's time at Purdue Kaersten Meitz was added to the USA Swimming National Team, punctuated by qualifying for the World University Games. She was a finalist in the 400 and 800 free at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
As a swimmer at Minnesota, Belk was Minnesota swimming & diving’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient as a senior and also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree She was an NCAA qualifier and 2-time team Captain.