Bedran named head swimming and diving coach at Olivet College

OLIVET, Mich. – Cauli Bedran has been named head men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Olivet College, according to an announcement by Director of Athletics Ryan Shockey.

"I am very excited to be the next head coach of the Olivet College swimming and diving programs," said Bedran. "I really like the mission of a Division III school because the athletes are students first and an athlete second. I am thrilled with having the opportunity to turn around the Olivet program into an elite one in the conference and also nationally."

Bedran comes to Olivet after serving as graduate assistant coach at Wayne State University (WSU) for the last six years. While there, he was graduate student, taking classes to earn his Ph.D. in comparative politics.

A native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Bedran earned a bachelor's degree in political science from WSU in May 2010. A 2016 inductee into the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame, he was a four-year letterwinner on the swimming team who earned 24 All-America awards including 17 first-team honors.

At the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championships his freshman year, Bedran anchored the first-place 400 medley relay which set a school and conference record. He broke a 26-year-old school record in the 50 free at the Eastern Michigan Invitational with a time of 21.10 as the leadoff of the 200 free relay.

As a sophomore, Bedran was part of the first national champion relay in school history, leading off the winning 200 medley relay. He also earned first-team All-America honors in the 400 medley relay (fourth), 400 free relay (fourth) and 100 backstroke (sixth). Bedran again broke the school record in the 50 free (20.67) when he finished 13th at the NCAA Championships. He received Honorable Mention All-American recognition for the 11th-place 200 free relay.

At the 2008 GLIAC Championships, Bedran placed third in the 100 backstroke and fifth in both the 50 and 100 free. He anchored the first-place 200 free and third-place 400 free relays, while leading off the second-place 200 medley relay.

In 2009, Bedran earned six All-American honors. He was part of three first-place relays (200 medley, 200 free and 400 free) and earned honorable mention All-American accolades in the 100 back, 50 free and 100 free. Bedran won two GLIAC titles as the 200 medley relay broke the school and conference records. He was also a member of the 400 free relay which set school and GLIAC records.

Bedran earned first-team All-America honors in all seven events he could compete in as a senior:  50 free (fourth), 100 free (sixth), 100 backstroke (eighth), 200 medley relay (fifth), 400 free relay (seventh), 400 medley relay (seventh) and 200 free relay (eighth). The month before, Bedran won five GLIAC titles including two individual championships in the 50 free and 100 free. He placed second in the 100 back and anchored three winning relays.

The 2009-10 WSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year, Bedran won a total of nine GLIAC titles, including anchoring seven relays. He helped the squad to three top-three NCAA finishes, including a runner-up finish in 2009, the best in school history.

In the classroom, Bedran earned WSU Academic Honor Roll status all eight semesters, including five terms above a 3.5. He was a two-time GLIAC Commissioner's Award Recipient for athletic and academic excellence as well as being a two-time College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District selection.

"We are excited to hire such a passionate coach for our swimming and diving program," said Shockey. "I believe Cauli will be a great addition to our department."