“We’re so competitive, let’s keep elevating.”
On June 1, 2026, Harleigh Chwastyk stepped into the role of Interim Athletic Director following Brad Koch’s departure, bringing to the position 24 years of experience leading Swarthmore’s volleyball program. While her role has shifted from coaching to administration, Chwastyk carries into her new office the experience she has on the court.
During her tenure as Head Coach, Chwastyk led the volleyball team to an NCAA National Quarterfinal appearance in 2017, earned four Centennial Conference Coach of the Year awards, and made eleven postseason appearances. She also coached 46 student athletes named to the Centennial All-Conference team, including five All-America honorees.
“I look at the athletic department as the larger team that we’re part of,” she said. “I honestly am just applying the things that are important to me as a coach, which are being forward-thinking, having a growth mindset, and being able to pivot and make quick changes if needed.”
If the athletic department were a team, her role as its leader would require her to build on the department’s existing strengths while considering how programs can continue to evolve. Chwastyk points to the college’s high academic rigor and competitive athletics programs as a foundation for further development administration looks to meet.
“We’re in a really great place — Swarthmore is a great school; we have fantastic academics,” she said. “We need to just keep the needle moving forward in how we continue to evolve and work to be even more competitively excellent. I think student athletes have higher expectations, and we need to be meeting and exceeding those.”
This approach is already taking shape in the athletic department’s ambitious facilities plans. Both the Lamb-Miller Field House and Cunningham Fields are slated for expansion and renovation and are currently in the design phase. Developed in collaboration with architects and informed by input from the athletic and broader Swarthmore community, the plans address the department’s growing needs. Chwastyk noted that athletics has outgrown its existing facilities, particularly its locker rooms and meeting spaces, prompting the need for expansion.
Constructed in 1935, the Field House hosts a worn indoor track, a single classroom space for 22 Varsity athletic teams, and tight-fitting locker rooms. Cunningham Fields feature uneven grass fields and no lights for practices, games, and recreational activities past sundown.
Chwastyk is thinking of long-term ways to address the department’s needs, including facilities that can serve student athletes for decades to come. Renovations are designed to “be smart and intentional for the future, not just what we need right now, but future programs, thinking about the Field House in 40 or 50 years,” she said.
Chwastyk highlighted these plans as opportunities to expand Swarthmore’s ability to host NCAA championship events, Centennial Conference championships, and support the broader community.
Recalling the softball field as it appeared when she first arrived at the college (where the Swarthmore Inn stands today), she reflected on how much the athletic facilities have changed. The recent softball NCAA championship, hosted by the Garnet on Clothier Softball Field, brought the excitement of holding a regional post-season tournament on campus, offering a glimpse of what continued investments could make possible.
Yet Chwastyk’s understanding of student-athlete life extends beyond facilities and competition. A graduate of Trinity College (CT), where she played varsity volleyball and basketball, she understands the demands of balancing rigorous academics, athletics, campus jobs, and a social life. It’s an experience she said has shaped her approach to leadership and her commitment to working in the high-academic environment Swarthmore encapsulates.
“I have been in your shoes; I still remember the week of my sophomore year when my basketball coach said ‘this week is more about basketball than school’ … that balance is hard.”
When Chwastyk joined Swarthmore in 2002, she was drawn to the opportunity to pursue coaching one sport, volleyball, full-time in an environment where academics were equally valued. Swarthmore’s commitment to that balance aligned with her own identity as a student athlete.
“I’ve grown up in the value sets in the community that is Swarthmore,” she said, “I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
That sense of belonging also influenced her decision to accept the Interim Athletic Director position. Chwastyk cited the trust placed in her by college leadership and a desire to guide the department through a period of transition as the reasons she accepted the job. “I believe in our community. I believe in our potential. They asked me, they needed me, and I felt like the bigger team needed me.”
Leaving the volleyball program required Chwastyk to place her trust in the student athletes and coaching staff she would leave behind, a transition made easier by the strength of the team she had built. She is confident in the returning student athletes and coaching staff, particularly longtime Associate Head Coach Linda Zhang. Chwastyk is also excited for Interim Head Coach Cecily Tomeo, who coached alongside Chwastyk from 2012 to 2017, to lead the Garnet this fall season.
For Chwastyk, the administrative position does not mean leaving her coaching mindset behind. A “student of the game,” she can’t simply watch from the sidelines. Whether attending Swarthmore Athletic events or watching her own children compete, she finds herself immersed in tactics and the desire to win.
“I’m still competitive, and I will always want to win,” she said. “It’s in my DNA.”
But while winning remains a driving force, Chwastyk reflected on her career with something less tangible: relationships. Just 24 years old when she began coaching at Swarthmore, she was only a few years older than some of her first student athletes. Those early relationships have developed into a lasting network of former students, the people who ultimately make coaching meaningful. Chwastyk is preparing to join families, alumni, and Swarthmore friends on Garnet Weekend (Oct. 30-31), including hosting the Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
“I just feel very grateful,” she said. “I think it’s the relationships that drive this whole journey, and I say I’m competitive, but it’s the people and the memories that last and matter most.”
As Interim AD, Chwastyk hopes to strengthen those connections while identifying ways to improve the student athlete experience. During her year in the position, she is focused on maintaining the department’s existing programs while exploring opportunities for growth, particularly in wellness and mental health. A department-wide review, conducted by third-party visitors every ten years, is slated for this year and will provide another opportunity to assess current programs, invite outside perspectives, and consider future priorities.
Chwastyk sees these efforts as part of the college’s broader strategic vision, Swarthmore Forward, a plan launched in the spring of 2024 to grow “opportunities for personal growth, recreation, civic engagement, and joy.”
While her new role brings a broader set of responsibilities, she is also conscious of the importance of prioritizing her own mental health and well-being. She sets a goal to regularly practice Pilates, maintaining balance through mindful movement.
Chwastyk settled into her new position with the principles that guided her coaching career and remains firmly committed to growth, a willingness to adapt, and an enduring passion for the Swarthmore community.
