Chirs Paynter joins Catholic University as the Head Swimming & Diving Coach as of July 31, 2025.
Paynter comes to Catholic very familiar with the Landmark Conference, joining the department after spending three years as the Head Men's and Women's Swim Coach at Wilkes University. Under his guidance, Wilkes had its best dual meet record in men's program history, finishing 8-2 in the 2024-25 season, as well as its best finish in a conference championship, placing sixth at the Landmark championships.
During his time at Wilkes, he coached three Wilkes swimmers to program records in the 2024-25 season and had 70 swimmers achieve top 10 all-time marks in program history. Paynter also helped significantly expand the team's size, bringing in the program's largest recruiting class for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Over the past two years, Paynter has also served as an assistant swim coach at the Palmyra Aquatic Club, where he oversaw the training and development of the senior group.
Paynter entered the collegiate coaching ranks in the fall of 2021 when he was hired by Hobart and William Smith Colleges to be the Assistant Swim Coach/Recruiting Coordinator. He played a key role in all aspects of both the men's and women's programs, including helping to recruit for a whole new men's program that returned to the department in 2022. Paynter also served as an Intern Strength Coach during his time in Geneva.
Paynter competed as a Division I swimmer at Villanova University, where he was part of one of the most successful teams in program history. During his time as a Wildcat, he was a two-time Big East champion and six-time All-Big East performer in the relays. He swam the third leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay, which won Big East titles in both 2017 and 2018 and are standing school records for the Wildcats. Paynter was also part of top-three finishes in the 400 free relay and the 200 medley relay. Individually, he was a six-time Big East medalist, earning two medals each in the 50 free, the 100 free, and the 100 butterfly. His times place him among the three fastest in Villanova history.
