City High swimming coach Zane Hugo moving to Wisconsin

IOWA CITY - Following a college career as a Hawkeye and a coaching career as a Little Hawk, Zane Hugo is moving on to Badger country.

After seven years of leading the Iowa City High girls' and boys' swimming programs, Hugo is leaving to become an Aquatics Director at the University of Wisconsin.

'(Thanks) to Coach Zane Hugo for seven great years with the boys and girls swimming programs,” City High athletics director Phillip Hansen said in a news release on Friday.

Hugo, who swam collegiately for the University of Iowa from 2007-2011, will finish the fall season with the City High girls' team before moving on to Wisconsin.

With the boys' season scheduled to begin in early December, City High has named Mandi Kowal as Hugo's replacement as the boys' coach, pending board approval.

Kowal is no stranger to the Iowa City scene. She coached the University of Iowa rowing program for 18 years, resigning in 2012. Kowal owns and operates TRI-Umph Today Coaching, where she works with athletes of all ages training for triathlons.

'Mandi is extremely excited for this next chapter of her coaching career,” Hansen said. 'She looks forward to continuing the great tradition of City High swimming.”

It isn't yet known if Kowal also will take over the girls' position next season.

'Due to the urgency to get the boys position filled on short notice, only the boys position will be going to the board,” Hansen said via email. 'We look forward to the possibility of Mandi coaching the girls and keeping continuity in the swim programs.”