Riley Gaines is a name synonymous with both swimming and advocacy for women's athletics. Gaines hails from Gallatin, Tennessee and began swimming at the age of eight. Notably, Gaines was raised in a family that was deeply rooted into sports, her father, Brad Gaines is a former football player who played at Vanderbilt University and her mother Telisha Gaines is a former softball player for Donelson Christian Academy and Austin Peay State University.
Gaines started pursuing competitive swimming in her high School. With dedication and plenty of talent, she became a seven-time state champion. After high school graduation, Gaines got into the University of Kentucky. There she joined the NCAA swim team. However, after facing some challenges in the first year of college, she focused and immersed herself in swimming. Gaines went on to make the All-SEC Freshman Team and the All-SEC Team in 2019 while achieving the latter feat again in 2020. This helped grow as an elite swimmer before becoming an advocate for women's rights in sports.
Who is Andreea Mitrofan?
Riley Gaines was coached by Andreea Mitrofan. Andreea Mitrofan started coaching Riley Gaines at high school. Mitrofan was her mentor and coach who led her to become seven-time state champion.
Andrea Mitrofan is a senior swim coach at Excel Aquatics and the founder of swim800.com, a website that provides swimming workout instructions and tutorials for beginners, intermediate and experienced swimmers.
Andreea Mitrofan Early life and Achievements
Andrea Mitrofan started coaching swimmers at the early age of seventeen and currently has around 25 years of experience with coaching and mentoring swimmers from all age groups including adults. Swimming and coaching has always been her life as she hails from a family of swimmers and swimming enthusiasts. She has ASCA level 4 swim coach qualification and she is involved with USA swimming.
Andreea Mitrofan hails from Brașov County, Romania. She obtained a swimming coach diploma from National College of Sport Coaching, Bucharest, Romania and got her Bachelor's degree in Economics Science, Sport Tourism and Services from George Baritiu University, Brasov, Romania. Moreover, she worked as swim coach and swim instructor in the Department of Youth Sports, Brasov County in Romania for 12 years.
She moved to the United States in 2004 and became a swim coach for Excel Aquatics in Nashville, Tennessee. She has been working in Excel Aquatics for the last 20 years ( as of 2024).
FAQ's On Riley Gaines Coach
A. Riley Gaines was coached by Andreea Mitrofan during her swimming career.
A. Riley Gaines attended Station Camp High School in Gallatin, Tennessee, United States.
A. Riley Gaines was the 2022 Southeastern Conference Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar Athlete of the Year.
A. Yes, Riley Gaines is retired and has shifted her entire focus on her campaign against the participation of trans women in women's sports
A. Riley Gaines is from Gallatin, Tennessee.
