United States Olympian Jacob Pebley has been named Head Coach of Crimson Aquatics, bringing his world-class experience, leadership, and passion for athlete development to the entire program.

Before joining Crimson, Jacob spent three years with Bulldog Swimming and Yale, where he joined in 2022 as Head Age Group Coach before being promoted to Head Coach. During his time there, he helped transform the team’s age group program into one of the most competitive in the region. Under his guidance, Bulldog athletes achieved record-breaking success at the local and regional levels, driven by Jacob’s thoughtful, athlete-centered approach and his ability to inspire confidence, discipline, and joy in training.

Originally from Corvallis, Oregon, Jacob graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2016 with a B.A. in Psychology. As a standout athlete, he represented Team USA at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, finishing 5th in the 200m backstroke. His international achievements also include a gold medal in the 200m backstroke and a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 2015 World University Games, along with multiple U.S. National Championship finals appearances.

Known for his empathy, professionalism, and deep understanding of the sport, Jacob is dedicated to creating an environment where every swimmer, from developing athletes to national-level competitors, can thrive. His leadership focuses on fostering a positive, inclusive, and growth-oriented team culture that empowers swimmers both in and out of the pool.

Outside the pool, Jacob enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time outdoors.

Crimson Aquatics is thrilled to welcome Jacob and looks forward to the energy, expertise, and vision he brings as he leads the program into its next chapter.

Emily Ellison is entering her first year as Team Director and fourth season with Crimson Aquatics, where she coaches the Pre-Crimson and Junior 2 groups.

Emily brings over a decade of competitive swimming experience to the deck. In high school, she trained under Olympian and World Record Holder Martin Zubero at Canterbury School, specializing in breaststroke and breaking multiple school records. She continued her athletic career in college, competing in both swimming and cheerleading at the collegiate level in Tennessee and Florida. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Stetson University in Communication and Media Studies, with minors in French and Religious Studies.

While in college, Emily coached at the West Volusia Killer Whales, where one of her swimmers broke the 10 & Under National Age Group Record in the 100 Breaststroke. She later coached the Senior group at North Shore Swim Club and served as Head Coach at Matignon High School, where her athletes broke every school record and captured multiple MIAA individual titles.

In July 2024, she coached a Pre-Crimson swimmer to a New England record in the Boys 11–12 100 Breaststroke (1:10.99) and the fastest 100 and 200 Breaststroke times in the country for his age group that year. Most recently, she and Coach Christopher helped lead a record 13 athletes to the 11–14 Age Group Championships.

Outside the pool, Emily works in fashion merchandising and enjoys hiking with her two dogs.

Rachel Army was thrilled to return to Crimson Aquatics in the 2021–2022 season after a six-year hiatus. She previously coached with Crimson from 2010 to 2014 under Kyle and Adriana Schack, working with all age groups but focusing primarily on the Junior program. During that time, she helped develop many of Crimson’s top age group performers.

Rachel now serves as Crimson Boston’s Age Group Director, overseeing all aspects of age group programming and training. In addition to leading seasonal planning and athlete development, she works closely with the coaching staff to mentor and support the professional growth of Crimson’s age group coaches.

From 2009 to 2012, Rachel also served as an assistant coach at Tufts University, where she worked closely with Head Coach Adam Hoyt and traveled with the men’s team for competition.

As an athlete, Rachel swam for the Ocean State Squids in Rhode Island under Josh Stern and went on to have a successful collegiate career at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania.

During her time away from coaching, Rachel focused on building her career in publishing and had the opportunity to travel extensively. She currently works at Harvard Business Publishing in Production Operations and is incredibly excited to be back on deck, reconnecting with the sport, and guiding Crimson’s young athletes and coaching staff.

Christopher Thomas returns for his second year as Lead Junior 1 Coach at Crimson Aquatics. During the 2024–2025 season, he worked closely with Coach Emily to help lead a record-high 13 qualifiers to the 11–14 Age Group Championships. He also supported the Junior and Senior training groups throughout the Long Course season at MIT, bringing energy and technical insight to every practice.

Originally from Illinois, Christopher brings over a decade of competitive swimming experience and two years of recreational coaching. He was a four-year member of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Men’s Swim Team, where he specialized in the 100 and 200 Butterfly and mid-distance Freestyle. At WPI, he earned both all-conference honors and academic accolades.

Christopher holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from WPI and now works full-time as a Systems Engineer in Boston.

He is excited to return to Crimson for another season and remains passionate about helping young athletes grow both in and out of the pool.

Ava Keane grew up in Madison, Connecticut, where he swam for the Soundview YMCA Stingrays for most of her career, and also began coaching the age group swimmers. Ava was a member of the first state championship team at Daniel Hand High School and currently holds a school record in the 200 medley relay.

After graduating high school, Ava coached at Gator Swim Club in Gainesville while studying at the University of Florida and competing on the UF Club Swim Team. Midway through her undergraduate career, she transferred to Boston University, where she competed on the Division I varsity team. She graduated with a B.S. in Health Sciences from Sargent College and now works in women’s health and prenatal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in physician assistant studies in the near future.

Ava is extremely passionate about the sport of swimming and strives to inspire young athletes by fostering a positive, encouraging, and hardworking team culture. She is beyond grateful and excited to be coaching again and looks forward to working with Junior 1 this season!

Ary Nagaraj returns for his third season coaching with Crimson Aquatics after swimming with the Crimson Boston program for nine years. He first joined the staff in the summer of 2022, working with Age Group 1, and continued coaching throughout the 2023–2024 season at the Dexter facility, where he supported both Age Group 2 and Age Group 3, while also assisting with the Senior training group.

Ary is a 2022 high school graduate and is entering his third season as a member of the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team at Regis College. Outside of the pool, he is studying Business Management and is on track to graduate in 2026.

This season, Ary is excited to take on a new role as the lead coach of Age Group 3 at the Brandeis facility.

Gabby Piccolo returns for her second season with Crimson Aquatics, this time as the Age Group 2 & 3 Coach at Dexter. Originally from Staten Island, New York, Gabby grew up swimming for Richmond Aquatics and went on to compete at the Division I level for Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. As a four-year member of the Women’s Varsity Swimming and Diving Team, she was a key contributor in the 100 Butterfly, 100 Freestyle, and 200 IM.

At Lafayette, Gabby majored in Mechanical Engineering while also exploring coursework in the Humanities. After graduating, she moved to Boston to begin her professional career and now works full-time as an engineer at National Grid.

Gabby is excited to continue her coaching journey with Crimson and is passionate about giving back to the sport that has shaped her life.

Sam Herzlinger is returning to Crimson as an Age Group 2 and 3 coach at Dexter. Sam began swimming in first grade and competed for several club teams in New York City and Boston before joining Crimson Boston, where he swam through high school.

He continued his athletic journey in college as a member of the Boston University Triathlon Team and earned his B.S. in Human Physiology. Sam is preparing to attend medical school while continuing to share his love of swimming with young athletes.

He is passionate about fostering a culture of hard work, teamwork, and excellence, both in and out of the pool.

Sam Smith is excited to join Crimson Aquatics this season as the Age Group 1 coach.

Originally from upstate New York, Sam brings nearly a decade of competitive swimming experience. A recent graduate of Ithaca College, he was a member of the swimming and diving team and earned his degree in Physics. His background as a student-athlete has given him firsthand insight into the balance of academics, training, and team commitment; perspectives he is eager to share with Crimson swimmers.

This season, Sam looks forward to fostering a positive and engaging environment for Age Group 1, helping athletes build a strong foundation in technique, confidence, and love for the sport as they continue to grow.

Lydia Mazzolli returns for her third season with Crimson Aquatics. Over the past two years, she served as the lead coach for Age Group 3 at Brandeis. This season, she transitions into a part-time assistant coach role, supporting the Age Group and Junior training groups.

Lydia brings 12 years of competitive swimming experience from Atlanta, Georgia, and Cleveland, Ohio, where she specialized in backstroke and distance freestyle. She went on to study at the University of South Carolina, earning a degree in Finance, Business Economics, and Spanish.

Now based in Boston, Lydia works full-time in the energy sector at National Grid. She is excited to continue supporting Crimson’s young athletes and growing as a coach and mentor.

GC Banrey is returning to Crimson for his fourth season. He spent two years coaching with Dexter’s Age Group 3, followed by last year with Junior 1, and this season he will be helping Age Group and Junior level swimmers part-time at both locations.

GC has been swimming since elementary school, beginning his career with the Flaherty Dolphins in Roslindale. He went on to swim for the Gator Swim Club and graduated from Boston Latin School as a team captain and Dual County League All-Star. GC continued his career collegiately at Regis College, where he earned a BA in Education. While swimming for the Pride, he broke a pool record, set multiple school records, and medaled at both the GNAC and NEISDA conferences.

In addition to coaching, GC is a full-time ninth grade history teacher in Roslindale.