Mikayla Francese started her synchronized swimming career at the age of eight when she saw the sport for the first time on the Nickelodeon children’s show “Figure It Out.” After swimming since she was five, she quickly moved into a sport that combined so many different aspects into one.
While growing up in Noblesville, Indiana, Francese swam on her club team Indy Synchro from 1998 to 2008. She was then was recruited by her coach and Lindenwood synchro program founder, Lori Eaton, to swim on the first ever Lions synchronized swimming team. Francese was just the second athlete to sign with Lindenwood when the program was founded in 2008, and as a sophomore in 2010, she was selected to the United States Olympic Team training squad. She was a four-year letter-winner and two-time All-American, helping Lindenwood ascend to third place overall at Collegiate Nationals by her senior season, a high point for the team to that point. Francese was then a graduate assistant coach the following season.
After a brief hiatus to focus on her professional career in digital and content marketing, she returned to Lindenwood as an assistant coach during the 2016-17 season, one that saw the Lady Lions capture their third consecutive U.S. National title.
She was quickly elevated to the position of synchronized swimming Head Coach in June 2017 where she led the Lady Lions to a fourth consecutive U.S. Nationals title while also medaling in the collegiate trio and solo events and earning Coach of the Year at the U.S. National Championships.
She has also recently expanded her coaching career by coaching abroad for the Aruba National Team in the summer of 2018, one that captured three gold medals and one silver medal at the 2018 Swiss Open and four gold medals at the CCCAN competition.
Francese graduated from Lindenwood in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, and in 2013, she earned an MA in Communications with an emphasis in Promotions.
July 2018
