Bio

Tarek Farouk will enter his first season as Assistant Swim Coach in the fall of 2024.

Farouk comes to Catawba after two years as a Teaching Assistant for Integrative Physiology & Athletic Training at the University of Montana.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Tarek, and his soon-to-be wife Maddie, to the Catawba Swimming family!" Gearing said. "From our initial conversation, I could tell he was someone we wanted to have on our team and was going to help us continue to provide the highest quality student athlete experience we can here… We can't wait to get him on campus to start working with the staff and team in our goal to win championships here at Catawba while we Develop Tomorrow's Leaders at Catawba Today."

In Missoula, Farouk assisted in the education of undergraduate UM students in the Exercise and Physiology Labs, while also independently instructing courses in Montana's ACTivity program such as Swimming for Fitness and Advanced Weight Training. Farouk earned his Master's in Integrative Physiology at UM. There, Farouk also coached the Missoula Aquatic Club, planning and instructing all in-water and dryland practice for the club's top age group.

Prior to his time at Montana, Farouk was a volunteer assistant coach at Colorado Mesa, his alma mater. Farouk serves as the Team Health Officer (THO) at the 2021 NCAA Division II Swim & Dive National Championships. Farouk swam for three seasons for the Mavericks.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to join the Catawba College community!", Farouk said. "I'm excited to build upon the success of Catawba swimming in the pool and in the classroom. Go Catawba!"

Farouk joins a Catawba program that finished second and third for men's and women's, respectively, in the South Atlantic Conference championships while boasting the SAC Men's Swimmer of the Year and two-time All-American in standout freshman Maks Minichowski.