Kirsten Sass Named New Swim Coach at Bethel

McKENZIE, Tenn. — Bethel University Senior Athletic Director Brad Chappell announced Wednesday Kirsten Sass is the new Bethel Head Swim Coach.

Sass is a Level 1 Certified USA Triathlon Coach, American Red Cross certified lifeguard, lifeguard instructor, and water safety instructor. She is a Physician Assistant with Christian Family Medicine in Huntingdon, Tennessee, and resides in McKenzie with her husband, Jeff Sass, and two children, Bella and Sebastian.

Sass is a McKenzie native. She graduated in the class of 1997 from McKenzie High School. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Western Ontario, Canada (‘00), completed the Utah College Massage Therapy program with a focus in Sports Massage (‘01, ‘02), and then obtained her master's degree in the Physician Assistant program at Bethel University (‘05).

In 1999, at the urging of her father, the late Dr. Volker Winkler, Sass completed her first triathlon. She pursued the sport and currently holds 10 ITU Triathlon World Championship gold medals and 40 National Champion titles in various multisport events (age group division). In 2017, Sass began guiding for a visually impaired paratriathlete (Amy Dixon) and guided for her in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Sass commented, “I am so honored and excited at the opportunity to be a part of the Bethel family. It is my hope to create a positive team environment that encourages learning and growth while helping each individual reach their potential.”

Chappell stated, “I am super excited to be able to add Kirsten Sass to our department in order to lead our swim programs. She has a wealth of knowledge and a track record that will benefit our swimmers, our university, and our community.”