University of Denver Women's Swimming & Diving

Alicia Hicken-Franklin completed her sixth season as the head coach of the Pioneers in 2024-25. Hicken-Franklin was named head coach on July 23, 2019 after spending 16 seasons, including 11 as the associate head coach, at Denver before coaching the two seasons at her alma mater Minnesota as the Gophers' associate head coach. As a swimmer at Minnesota, the 1997 graduate was a six-time Big Ten Conference finalist in the 200, 500 and 1650 free. In the classroom, Hicken-Franklin was a two-time Academic Honorable Mention All-America selection in her junior and senior year. Hicken-Franklin was a finalist at the 1992 Canadian Olympic Trails. A native of Campbellville, Ontario, Hicken-Franklin graduated with a BS in kinesiology. She also received her MS in physiology of exercise from Washington State in 2000.

Aaron D'Addario rejoined the Denver Pioneers coaching staff as the head diving coach in October of 2019, completing his sixth season back with the program in 2024-25. During his previous stint with the Pioneers, D'Addario served on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Committee in his final two years with the program. D'Addario was the head judge coordinator for USA Diving JO Nationals from 2011-14 and was a FINA International judge from 2011-15. D'Addario served in the same role from 2009 to 2013, earning Sun Belt Men's Diving Coach of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011. Since his first stint in Denver, D'Addario has been working on his sport psychology doctorate at Florida State University's College of Education. During his time in Tallahassee, D'Addario has been a graduate teaching assistant for Introduction into Sport and Exercise Psychology and Performance Psychology courses.

The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs have named Lauren McCain a skill instruction coach for swimming, head coach Alicia Hicken-Franklin announced on October 10. McCain, who currently is a law student at the University of Denver, swam for four years at the University of Vermont, focusing on backstroke and freestyle events in her career with the Catamounts. Denver's newest member of its staff was a member of Vermont's American East Conference Championship team in 2024, the program's first title in the league. Outside of the pool, McCain was a member of Vermont's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and was a member of "She Roars", an organization that is focused on supporting gender equity in sports. McCain's previous coaching experience includes back-to-back undefeated seasons, and the most dominant championship performance in league history with Sand Point Country Club. After pursuing her law degree at Denver, McCain hopes to enter a career in c

Lucas Baarlaer enters his fourth season as an assistant coach for Denver in 2025-26. Baarlaer joined the Pioneers after spending the previous eight years as the head swimming coach for the Piranhas Swim Club in Richfield, Minn. While there, he was responsible for setting meet, practice and coaching schedules, along with handling all team travel. Prior to that, Baarlaer was a volunteer assistant at Minnesota, where he did video analysis and on-campus recruiting, helping guide the women's team to a Big Ten championship and 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2014.

Maguire was hired as an assistant coach in August 2015. The former Pioneer swimmer (2009-13) was a team captain during his time at DU, as well as a four year letterman. He graduated from the university in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in environmental science. Maguire will enter his 11th season with the program in 2025-26, his seventh as now the associate head coach under Alicia Hicken-Franklin. Maguire focuses his time with the breaststrokers, IMRs and sprinting events. The Denver native also spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the University of Denver Hilltoppers from 2015-17. The Hilltoppers (TOPS) Swim Team is a year-round aquatics program that gives youth the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of swimming technique and training to help develop specific age group swimmers. Maguire led the Crimson and Silver groups which consisted of 30 young kids representing the club at local, regional and national meets.

The University of Denver men's and women's swimming and diving programs named Nathan Cox a skill instruction diving coach, diving head coach Aaron D'Addario announced on October 13. In his time as a diver at Denver, Cox finished second in the 3-meter and helped the Pioneers claim the diving team event title at the 2025 Summit League Swimming and Diving Championships. Cox was a two-time Zone E Championship qualifier, reaching the postseason in his final two years with the program. The two-time Summit League Peak Performer of the Week was a two-time captain for the Pioneers, and won a myriad of team awards, including being a two-time recipient of the Hardest Worker Award. Cox graduated with a Bachelor's degree in environmental science with a minor in sustainability.