Meet Our Team

Lori is a true water baby, having grown up under the sun of S Florida, and the umbrella of wonderful coaches. Recruited in high school as a distance swimmer, she swam at UNC-Chapel Hill: took the ‘mandatory time off after college’ and reinvented herself as a USMS master swimmer. She has been a part of masters since 1991 in many different capacities on the local and national level.With a degree in sports management, and thirty years of coaching experience at all levels, Lori knows just what makes the student athlete recruiting process successful.

Her free time is spent with her family of kids and dogs. Her passions include travel, music and anything outdoors or water related.

Since 2015, Melynda has served as a dedicated college admissions specialist and academic advisor, helping swimmers and divers navigate the academic side of college recruiting. Her guidance has led student-athletes to gain admission to elite institutions such as Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, the Colorado School of Mines, Denison, Emory, and the University of Chicago, to name a few.

Melynda holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she graduated summa cum laude, and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Reading from Hood College. She is also a certified presenter for the National Writing Project, credentials that enhance her ability to support students in crafting powerful college essays and personal narratives.

Before her work in college advising, Melynda spent over 20 years as a Reading Specialist and student outreach advisor, empowering hundreds of students to recognize their potential, advocate for themselves, and pursue higher education—including military and technical pathways. Her deep knowledge of the education system and her passion for student success make her an invaluable part of the ACC team.

When asked what she loves most about her work, Melynda shares: “I love helping people achieve their goals and feel successful. I will work tirelessly to help each student-athlete find their perfect fit for college. It’s my passion and my purpose—it doesn’t even feel like a job.”

Outside of her professional life, Melynda enjoys researching the evolving college landscape, reading great novels, and spending time with her family—her parents, her three children (Holly, Jake, and Amanda), and her two grandchildren, McKenna and Camden.

She is also a proud veteran of the United States Navy, bringing the same dedication and integrity to her work that she brought to her service.

Coach Kevin Weldon is one of the country’s most experienced competition swim professionals. With 33 years leading the Dayton Raiders, Coach Kevin has developed: 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers (2 Top 8 Finalists), 4 National Age Group record holders, 2 Senior National Champions, 40 State High School Champions, 12 Ohio State High School record holders, 1000+ Swimmers who’ve competed in the Ohio High School State Meet.  The 2018 International Swim Coach Association Hall of Fame inductee has also helped his swimmers acquire more than 1-Million-Dollars in athletic scholarships over the course of his career.  Before coaching the Raiders, Coach Kevin was the head coach for the Sunkist Swim Team (1985-1989) and the Kankakee YMCA (1984-1985). He was also a University of Nebraska Men’s assistant coach (1981-1984).  Coach Kevin hopes to provide a safe and positive sports experience for all Raider athletes, and the opportunity for each swimmer to achieve their full potential. The Dayton Raiders are a 3 time USA Swimming Gold Medal Level Club of Excellence under his leadership.

Kevin is married to his wife Lana and they live in Beavercreek, Ohio  They have 2 daughters and 4 grandkids.

When Kevin is not on deck coaching or working with ACC swimmers, he enjoys working out, reading, and movie-watching.

Mike brings 25 years of high school and club coaching experience as one of the most accomplished high school coaches in the country, and is an ASCA level 5 certified swim coach.  He has coached over 40 district champion individuals and over 15 district relay champions as well as 8 state champions!  Over his 15 years at Upper Arlington HS and Upper Arlington Swim Club his boys teams finished runner-up in the state in 2012, 2013, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, were the top public school in Ohio 9 of 15 years, and  won the district championship 7 times, while finishing in the top 10 at the state meet in 13 of 15 years.  He is a seven time district coach of the year, 2012, 2020, 2021 and 2024 state coach of the year, and 2012 NFHS Mideast sectional coach of the year .  In addition he has coached multiple Olympic Trials, Junior National qualifiers and NAG top 10 athletes, as well as athletes who have moved on to compete at top level schools like Texas, Ohio State, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Kenyon, Miami, NYU, Emory, Denison and over 2 dozen more.

He is a 2001 graduate of Syracuse University, where he played water polo, and received his BA in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science.  He received his teaching license in 2004 from Ashland University.  He completed his masters degree in the spring of 2009!  Mike is currently a Social Studies teacher at Dublin Scioto teaching AP European History, AP Economics and World History.  Previous coaching experience also includes nearly a decade as a head water polo coach and multiple state titles.

Mike married Nicole in August 2010, they have 2 daughters McKayla and Kennedy and a son Joey, along with 2 dogs and 2 cats, and they reside in Upper Arlington, Ohio.  He also has completed 4 ½ Ironmans.

As an international swimmer, Penny Heyns established herself as the world’s greatest female breaststroker of the 20th century by becoming the only woman in Olympic history to win both the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke events and by breaking 14 individual world records during her career. Penny is now a motivational speaker / mentor and teams with ACC to connect international swimmers with the US for a chance to study and compete in America.

Maria is an Olympic gymnast, nutritional coach, and public speaker. She was the Central American champion 1986-88, the only female gymnast in the Pan Am Games (Indianapolis 87) to have competed in four event finals, and the first Central American gymnast to have competed in Olympic games (Seoul 88).

Maria left Guatemala City and moved to the USA when she turned 12 to train at a leading gymnastic academy in Houston, TX.  Maria suffered an extensive injury and after surgery and recovery she competed four more years, until her retirement.

After gymnastics, Maria Ines took up cheerleading and karate, competing in both but not at the level of gymnastics.  She also coached gymnastics for three years and delivered balance beam clinics in Guatemala City, Austin, TX, and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Maria Ines graduated from Francisco Marroquin University with a BA in Business Management and obtained her MBA from the University of Texas, Austin.  She worked in Marketing, Business Consulting, and then founded a bilingual staffing company.  She also taught Leadership and Organizational Development at Francisco Marroquin University and Universidad del Istmo (UNIS).

Having suffered from binge eating disorder as a result of extreme dieting and high levels of pressure when she was an athlete, Maria Ines faced body image issues ad struggled with her weight in her post-gymnastics years.  She eventually created a system for implementing nutrition and lifestyle changes and turning them into habits, which led her to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, great performance, and eliminate all stress around food.

After 20 years in marketing, management, and consulting, she did a complete shift to Nutrition and Health, obtained her Certification in Nutritional Coaching from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York, and founded Let’s Be Fit Today, whose mission is to help young athletes incorporate nutrition and lifestyle changes to boost their health, performance, and confidence.

Maria Ines has been active in Nutrition Education in Central America and the USA, delivering engaging presentations and workshops at schools, athletic clubs, not-for-profits, youth ministry groups, associations, and universities.  She is passionate about helping young athletes, kids, and teenagers harness the power of nutrition to feel and perform at their very best while enjoying stress-free, healthy eating, and a positive body image.

Maria Ines lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband, Roberto Bonilla, a two-time Olympic swimmer, and their four children, all of whom practice competitive sports.  Her son, Roberto Bonilla Flores, is a Junior-Pan-American Games medalist in the 400m IM, 200m Breaststroke, and 200m Butterfly.

Maria Ines volunteers with The Woodlands Rotary Club and TWST Swim Team.  She enjoys long walks, strength training, reading, and being outdoors.