Rachel Busch enters her fifth season with the Golden Bears in 2025. Busch joined Concordia-St. Paul athletics as head women's swimming & diving coach in the summer of 2021, becoming the program's second head coach.
In 2024, Busch saw her squad size increase from 15 to 24 student-athletes including a jump from one diver to five while hosting the program's largest invite to date that saw seven schools race. Under Busch's leadership, the Golden Bears were named a CSCAA All-Scholar Team for the seventh straight semester while producing two CSCAA Scholar All-Americans.
Busch has coached All-NSIC honored athletes Sophie Leo and Farida Maher. Sophie Leo won the 2024 All-NSIC Freshman of the Year award under her leadership. Farida Maher has collected 2024 All-NISC Swimmer of the Year, 2023-25 NSIC All-Conference accolades and a 2022 All-NSIC Freshman of the Year honors while under Busch's aid. Maher was also a 2024 and 2025 NCAA Nationals qualifier, where she collected a top 20 finish after winning the NSIC Championship where she set a conference record.
“Our committee was immediately impressed by Rachel’s passion for the sport and her student-first philosophy,” said Regan McAthie, CSP Director of Athletics. “With her time as a Division II student-athlete and 10+ years of coaching experience we believe she has incredible potential for success as a Division II head coach and we’re eager to watch her succeed at CSP.”
The 2018 and 2020 Section 8AA Head Coach of the Year, Busch comes to Concordia after a strong run as head swimming & diving coach at Buffalo High School serving the communities of Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools in the Twin Cities metro. In her six years leading the Bison swim program, Busch sent 22 athletes to MSHSL state competition, finished as section runner-up in 2018 and 2020 and captured back-to-back conference championships in 2017 and 2018.
Out of the pool, Busch presided over a program that saw strong academic success, capturing six Conference Gold (3.5+ GPA), four Section Gold (3.75+ GPA) and two Section Silver (3.5+ GPA) honors while 22 athletes earned All-State Academic awards.
Prior to her six-year run as head coach, Busch spent four years as the program’s assistant coach, and has also had six years of experience as the boys’ swimming & diving assistant coach. Her coaching strengths have also served BHS as a 10-year assistant for the boys’ & girls’ track & field programs including four state champions and four national qualifiers, as well as three years as the speed specialist for the girls’ lacrosse program.
She started her coaching career with three years at Mason City Swim Club in Iowa as an assistant coach before serving as a student assistant coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato in the 2010-11 academic year.
Busch was a four-year standout at Minnesota State, serving as a team captain during her senior year in 2010 while earning the Most Inspirational, Most Dedicated and Maverick Achievement Award. She finished in MSU’s top-10 in the 1,000-yard freestyle, and also earned individual awards each of her four years, starting with Strength & Conditioning Award as a freshman, Coaches Award as a sophomore and Most Inspirational as a junior.
She earned degrees in chemistry (BA) and chemistry education (BS) while graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors in 2011 and would earn a teaching and learning master’s degree from Saint Mary’s University (Minn.) in 2017, once again graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors.
She has gained additional experience through swimming lessons at Fitness Evolution for all ages in Buffalo as well as the Learn to Swim with the Mavs as a coordinator and instructor (2008-11). Her background also includes multiple volunteering efforts through Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Swim & Dive with the Bison and Buffalo Covenant Church.
Coach Busch enjoys training for triathlons, traveling, being crafty, serving with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and spending quality time with family and friends.
