Bonnie Kestner begins her eleventh season as Assistant Swim Coach for Sweet Briar College.  Kestner's experience as Sweet Briar College's former head coach as well as her upbeat attitude make her a valuable asset to the program.  Coach Gallaher says, "Bonnie is, and always has been so important to the swimming program at Sweet Briar.  No one has meant more to Sweet Briar Swimming than Bonnie Kestner." 

Kestner's college swimming career took place at Yale, where she was the first member of the Yale women's swim team and captained its first Varsity program.  Her coaching career began at her alma mater before accepting the head coaching position at Sweet Briar.  Kestner's successful coaching career includes being named ODAC Coach of the Year four times, while producing five NCAA Division III All-Americans and eighteen All-Conference swimmers. She served on the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Committee and has been ranked by FINA as one of the top ten Masters swimmers in the world in several events in her age group. 

Kestner has B.A. and M.A.R. degrees from Yale and also holds a Master's from the Univeristy of Virginia.  She is an Associate Professor at Sweet Briar College and teaches classes in swimming and nutrition.  An accomplished musician, Kestner currently resides on campus with her husband, Chuck.