Director of Student Life Sports Mike Elam has named Chelsea Wipfler as the new synchronized skating coach.  The St. Charles, Missouri resident brings 20 years of ice skating and 17 years of synchronized skating experience to the program.

Wipfler began freestyle and synchronized skating in 1997, spending over a decade with Synchro St. Louis up to Junior level with the St. Peters Figure Skating Association.  She reached Intermediate level from 2007-08 with St. Louis Fleur de Lis at the St. Louis Skating Club. 

Wipfler was a member of the Western University senior and collegiate synchronized skating teams for four seasons, earning a gold medal and three silver medals at the Midwestern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships.  She was a two-time member of Team USA in that span and had the honor of competing in both Hungary and Italy.  She also was a four-time competitor at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and has earned gold medals in ice dance and international dance.

Her coaching experience includes time as a Learn to Skate instructor at the Lindenwood Ice Arena in Wentzville, Mo., and with the Greater Kalamazoo (Mich.) Skating Association.  She was a figure stating instructor at the St. Louis Ice Zone and currently serves as a figure skating coach and Learn to Skate instructor at the Creve Coeur Figure Skating Club in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

Wipfler earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Michigan University and obtained a Master's in the Art of Teaching, K-12 Special Education from Fontbonne University in St. Louis.

She will begin her new role as Lindenwood Head Synchronized Skating Coach on September 10.