Former Stanford athletes Nicole Pechanec and Andrew Luck have endowed an assistant coaching position for the university’s women’s gymnastics program. The endowment aims to help Stanford retain and recruit top coaching talent. Vince Smurro will serve as the inaugural Chris Swircek Associate Head Women’s Gymnastics Coach, a role named in honor of former associate head coach Chris Swircek.
Chris Swircek, who coached at Stanford from 2004 to 2019, expressed appreciation for the gift. “I am deeply grateful and humbled by the generosity of Nicole and Andrew,” said Swircek. “It has been a true blessing to be part of the Stanford family and to work alongside the incredible athletes of Stanford Women’s Gymnastics. They inspired me and helped me grow into a better person.”
During his tenure, Swircek oversaw vault and uneven bars events that led to several conference titles and individual NCAA champions.
Alden Mitchell, Interim Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer at Stanford, commented on the impact of Pechanec and Luck’s contribution: “We are very grateful for Nicole and Andrew’s incredible generosity and steadfast support of Stanford Athletics. As former student-athletes, they have experienced firsthand the difference an excellent coach makes, and I am thrilled that someone who has a deep appreciation for the program’s past is helping to build for the future.”
Nicole Pechanec was a two-time NCAA All-American gymnast at Stanford, serving as team captain while inventing a release move on uneven bars that now bears her name. She also competed internationally for the Czech Republic during her collegiate career.
Andrew Luck played quarterback for Stanford before being selected first overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. After retiring from professional football in 2019, he returned to complete his master’s degree in education at Stanford in 2023 and took on a new role as General Manager for Stanford Football in fall 2024.
Pechanec described gymnastics as central to her life: “Gymnastics has and always will be an integral part of my life, and this is another way to give back to the opportunities that allowed my hard work and passion to flourish. As a first-generation US citizen, competing for Stanford was the American dream, and by supporting Stanford sports, Andrew and I hope to make more of those dreams, both in and out of the gym, a reality for student-athletes.”
She further honored her former coach: “Chris was the epitome of a great coach for me, and my time at Stanford was all the more meaningful because of him. His commitment to women’s sports was evident throughout his long coaching career at Stanford. The hour-plus commute to and from practice and his reliably cheerful and positive attitude contributed to the stable environment I cherished at Stanford. When I think of a coach that I would want my daughters to have in their lives, a coach like Chris ‘Swiz’ Swircek comes to mind.”
Tabitha Yim, Rodgers Family Director of Women’s Gymnastics at Stanford said: “Nicole and Andrew’s gift to our program is a powerful display of their passion, commitment, and love for Stanford. As former student-athlete leaders, they’ve continued to guide and uplift Stanford Athletics through their engagement and vision, especially with the evolving NCAA landscape. We are incredibly grateful not only for their generous contribution but for the intentional and heartfelt way they chose to honor our program’s legacy by naming the position after Chris Swircek. Family is at the core of Stanford Women’s Gymnastics, and we are so lucky to have Andrew, Nicole, and Chris in ours. Their impact will be felt for generations to come.”
Stanford women’s gymnastics recently celebrated its first conference team title since joining https://theacc.com/news/2024/6/1/stanford-womens-gymnastics-wins-first-acc-title.aspx” target=”_blank”>the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), marking an important milestone in its history.
