Christopher Mance enters his fifth season as Head Coach of the Mount Saint Mary College men’s and women’s swimming programs, where he has built a culture centered on connection, tradition, and community — values that mirror his vision for what collegiate athletics should be.
Mance’s recruits are drawn to a team that feels like family and a campus that feels like home, where every swimmer plays a meaningful role in the team’s growth and success. His coaching philosophy — “Learn to swim, learn to train, learn to achieve” — is rooted in lessons first shared by his mother on long drives home from practice. During those rides, she would make him understand the physiological purpose behind each set and every workout, helping him understand why training worked rather than just how to complete it. His mother, an Exercise Science and Kinesiology professor at Bridgewater State College, instilled in him a deep appreciation for how the body adapts through training, teaching that progress comes from applying specific stressors to create meaningful outcomes. Another key influence, Coach Gene Damm, reinforced the importance of training with mental intention, building strong personal connections, and maintaining precise focus on stroke efficiency.
Under Mance’s leadership, the Mount has achieved historic results in recent seasons. Both the men’s and women’s teams finished as Skyline Conference Runner-Up in 2025, with the women’s team earning back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2024 and 2025. His athletes have captured multiple conference titles, including a Skyline Champion in the 1000 freestyle, a Metropolitan Conference Champion in the 1650 freestyle, and numerous swimmers and relay teams achieving Second Team All-Skyline Conference honors. These accomplishments reflect Mance’s ability to balance competitive excellence with a culture of accountability, growth, and team unity. The Knights continue to raise program standards, highlighted by three new school records during the 2024 season, signaling the team’s rapid competitive progression under his direction.
He began his coaching career under Kyle Browning at the Adirondack Club in Franklin, Massachusetts, before relocating to the Hudson Valley in 2007. In 2008, he founded Devilfish Aquatics, a USA Swimming–sanctioned program that evolved from the historic Dutchess County YMCA Devilfish. Following his success with Devilfish, Mance continued his coaching journey with the Cornwall Sea Dragons, New York Sharks, and Phoenix Aquatic Club, where he expanded his reputation as a developer of top-tier age group and senior-level talent. These experiences provided him with a deep understanding of athlete development across all stages of competitive swimming and helped lay the foundation for his collegiate coaching success. Through his work with these programs, Mance has guided numerous athletes to the USA Swimming Speedo Sectionals, State Championships, and USA Swimming Junior Nationals, including coaching a New York State Champion.
A lifelong competitor and student of the sport, Mance began his collegiate swimming career as a Wildcat at the University of Kentucky, competing in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) — one of the nation’s most competitive swimming environments. After his sophomore year, he transferred to Ohio University, where he competed for the Bobcats in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and earned his Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies. During his collegiate career, Mance was a Conference Finalist in the 1650 Freestyle, 400 Individual Medley, and 200 Butterfly, demonstrating the versatility and endurance that have become hallmarks of his coaching approach.
Mance has reestablished the program’s winter training trip, restoring a valued tradition that strengthens team cohesion and enhances in-season performance. To make these experiences possible, he and his student-athletes lead a variety of community outreach initiatives, including swim lessons, parents’ nights out, and elementary school pool parties. These events not only help support the team’s goals but also reflect the program’s commitment to giving back, building connections, and sharing the sport of swimming with the broader community.
With over 20 years of experience developing high-level athletes, Mance brings a blend of collegiate competitiveness, technical precision, and leadership to the Mount Saint Mary College swimming programs. His emphasis on performance, accountability, and community continues to elevate the Mount’s visibility and reputation, fostering an environment where student-athletes thrive both in and out of the pool.
