Paul “Boomer” Druchniak named Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming Coach and Aquatics Director

6/2/2026 10:30:00 AM | By: Bard Sports Information

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – Paul "Boomer" Druchniak has been named as the next Head Coach of the Bard College Men's and Women's Swimming Program and Aquatics Director as announced on Monday by Director of Athletics and Recreation, Stefanie Carrington. Druchniak will start on July 1st.

"Boomer brings a key mix of coaching and aquatics experience to this role and will make an immediate and positive impact on our operations and with our varsity program," said Carrington. "He connected seamlessly with our staff throughout the interview process and I'm confident he's going to be a fantastic addition to our community."

"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the swimming and aquatics programs at Bard College", said Druchniak. "I want to thank Stefanie Carrington, Malik Walfall, and the other members of the search committee for their time and guidance through this process. I'm excited to join the team at Bard and dive into building a program founded on dedication, personal growth, and community. Go Raptors!"

Druchniak's coaching and aquatics experience includes stops at Bates College, Falmouth High School, the YMCA of Southern Maine, and Portland Country Club.

He most recently served as an Assistant Swim Coach at Bates College, where he worked with nationally competitive student-athletes and helped create and implement training plans for both swimming and strength development. In addition, he developed and managed a swim lessons program that supported team fundraising efforts and played a key role in aquatic safety initiatives by training and supervising lifeguards under American Red Cross standards. During his tenure, the men's program recorded back-to-back best seasons in school history, culminating in a sixth-place finish at the 2026 NCAA Division III Championships.

Prior to his time at Bates, he served as Head Coach at Falmouth High School, where he helped rebuild and strengthen the program following the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the boys' team earned second- and third-place finishes at the state championships, while the girls' team achieved a tie for second place and produced a Performer of the Meet honoree.

Druchniak also served as an Aquatics Consultant for the YMCA of Southern Maine, where he contributed in a variety of roles, including lifeguarding, swim instruction, coaching, lifeguard certification, and safety inspections.

In addition, he spent more than six years as Camp and Pool Director at Portland Country Club. In that role, he recruited, trained, and supervised lifeguards and camp counselors while overseeing swim lessons, aquatic programming, and summer camp operations.

Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant Swim Coach at Bonny Eagle High School and worked as a Lifeguard and Swim Lessons Instructor at Saint Joseph's College of Maine.

Druchniak holds certifications in Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid, Lifeguarding Instruction, and is a Certified Pool Operator.

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