Coach Renee Riggs joined Club Mountaineer Aquatics, then West Virginia Aquatics, in the fall of 2007. She has worked with all of the CM groups and is currently the Head Coach for the Pre-Senior and Senior groups. Renee swam at the University of Nebraska where she qualified for the USA National Championships and was a member of the then Big 8 Conference team (breaststroke, IM). Renee's coaching career started with summer league in Rockville, MD where she graduated from HS in 1984. Coach Renee's club coaching career started with the Nellie Gail Dolphins in Laguna Hills, California in 1992. She and Coach Vic Riggs met in 1995 while he was coaching the Saddleback Valley Aquatics team. The two merged their teams and got married in 1996. As coaches for the Nellie Gail Saddleback Valley Gators (1995-2001), they coached 30+ swimmers to the Junior National, National, Olympic Trial and Olympic level. Their swimmer Kaitlin Sandeno qualified for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. As a member of the US team, Kaitlin earned a bronze medal in the 800 free, placed 4th in the 400 IM and placed 6th in the 200 Fly. Coach Renee was named the Head Coach for the US World Cup Team to Edinborough, Scotland; Malmo, Sweden; and Paris, France in 1997. When Coach Vic took the Head Coach position at Gator Swim Club in Gainesville, FL in 2001, Coach Renee helped with administration of the team. When Coach Vic transitioned to college coaching as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California (2003-2006) and the University of Georgia (2006-2007), Renee stayed home with their four daughters. The family moved to Morgantown, WV when Coach Vic took the Head Coach position at WVU. As their own children began to swim competitively, Coach Renee went back to coaching and has been on deck with Club Mountaineer ever since. While at CM, Coach Renee has coached multiple swimmers to the US Swimming Olympic Trials, the National Championships, both Winter and Summer Junior National Championships, Futures Championships and regional Sectional Meets. Over the course of Coach Renee's time at CM, over half of our graduating seniors have gone on to compete at the collegiate level. Under Coach Renee's leadership, the CM team was awarded Bronze Medal status in 2024 making the team a top 300 club (out of 2700-3000 US teams). Coach Renee has always believed that the sport of swimming offers a place for every athlete. She most enjoys watching swimmers progress through the program and helping PS/SR level swimmers figure out their goals and how to train to achieve them.
Coach Kathryn Riggs has been with Club Mountaineer since 2020. Kathryn swam for Club Mountaineer as an age grouper before training and competing as a gymnast at the WVGTC. Kathryn graduated with a degree in English from WVU in 2024 and a Masters degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh in 2025. She currently teaches English at Albert Gallatin High School in Uniontown, PA. Kathryn has worked primarily with the Barracudas and Pre-Seniors and currently works with the Pre-Senior and Senior groups. Kathryn emphasizes stroke technique and the importance of training strategy as a way to develop successful racing strategy.
Coach Josh Madzy is a Class of 2022 WVU Swimming alumni. As a Mountaineer, Josh was a member of the Big XII Conference team and valuable contributor in the butterfly and backstroke events. Coach Josh has 19 years of experience in the sport of swimming as an athlete and coach, and he has spent the past seven years coaching Club Mountaineer Aquatics. Josh has coached every level at Club Mountaineer and currently works with the Pre-Senior and Senior groups. During his time at CM, Josh has helped develop many CM swimmers who have gone on to swim at the NCAA collegiate level. Coach Josh is also a math teacher at University High School in Morgantown. In his coaching with CM, Josh emphasizes discipline, consistency, and goal-driven training to help swimmers develop the skills and mindset needed for success both in and out of the pool.
Coach Brandon Wone joined Club Mountaineer in 2023 as our primary Barracudas group coach. Brandon swam for Sachem Swim Club on Long Island, New York for 9+ years. Brandon was a versatile swimmer whose favorite events included the 200 and 500 Free and the 100 Breast. In addition to coaching with CM during the academic year since 2023, Coach Brandon has also coached with his club team during the summers for the past 5 years. Coach Brandon was the Head Coach for the WV Swimming Age Group Zones Team in 2025. Coach Brandon says, "Coaching allows me to give back to the sport that shaped me, helping swimmers grow not just as athletes, but as people."
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