UMD

Registration Inquiries, Maryland Locations:

Becky Widman, Team Administrator

email: becky@machineaquatics.com

UMD Staff

Dan Haines, Site Director & National Team Coach

danh@machineaquatics.com

I started swimming competitively at age 6, competing through my late 20s in summer league, YMCA, club, high school, college and open water. I was a member of Indian River State College's 11th and 12th national championships, where I was also a team captain for the 1987 championship team. Beyond swimming, I ran cross country for 6 years in junior and senior high, winning a state championship as a varsity member my junior year. I also dabbled briefly in wrestling and dance, two experiences which had a notable impact on my coaching as well, bringing a more holistic understanding and approach to athletic performance.

I began teaching swimming at age 14 as an assistant in my high school aquatics program, then kicked off my coaching career at 17, as head coach of a summer league team in southern New Jersey. I’ve been coaching ever since, working in summer league, YMCA, high school and club swimming. I’ve coached for teams large and small, owned and operated my own team for a decade in Potomac Valley, and developed several competitive lesson programs along the way. Having been with Machine for the past decade, I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing my passion for swimming and for helping young athletes and their families grow through such an amazing sport.

Apart from coaching, I’ve worked in aquatic management, and at one point in a near-permanent career change, as an intern architect for Bignell Watkins Hasser Architects in Annapolis. I enjoy reading, mountain biking, disc golfing and hiking. In 1991, I bicycled with a childhood friend from Seattle to Los Angeles to Dover, DE, and in 1995, summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.

I currently live in Sykesville, MD with my wife Katie, son Benjamin and dog Blue.

Elena Argueta - Age Group Coach

Elena@machineaquatics.com

I was born, and currently reside in College Park, Maryland. My competitive swimming journey started in 2013 on a small summer team. I joined Machine Aquatics in 2018, and have not looked back! 

During my time as a swimmer on Machine, I became certified for lifeguarding, worked at two pools, then offered swim lessons for my local community pool. In the summer of 2023, it was offered by my mentor, Dan Haines, to become a coach! I will always be thankful for this job, because I truly love teaching aspiring swimmers. 

There is always something to learn, and there are always ways of improvement. I hope that my time at Machine Aquatics only grows my knowledge for coaching, and for life. Outside of swimming, I enjoy baking pineapple-upside cake and cookies. Roller skating is also one of my favorite hobbies! Thank you very much for reading.

Austin Rider - Age Group Coach

austin@machineaquatics.com

My name is Austin Rider and I am the lead Senior and HP coach at the University of Maryland site. The 2024-25 season is my sixth with Machine; the 2025 summer season will also be my sixth coaching with the Adelphi Dolphins summer team.

I grew up swimming summer league in Herndon, VA, first with the Kingston Chase Fighters and later with the Four Seasons Tidal Waves. I began junior coaching in 2014 with Kingston Chase and moved on to an assistant role with Four Seasons the following summer. From 2010-2014 I also swam club with the Herndon Aquatic Club Commanders and swam all four years of high school at Herndon High from 2011-2015.

After my sophomore year of college at James Madison University, I moved into the head coach position at Four Seasons and continued there for three summers. I graduated from JMU with a degree in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication in 2019, coached my final season with Four Seasons, and accepted a position as lead Senior and Gear coach at UMD soon after.

I strive to make personal connections with my swimmers and look to build confidence and self-belief in my swimmers. Mental toughness, repetition of good habits, and a positive mindset are all paramount to a successful swim career at any experience level. I thoroughly enjoy coaching and especially enjoy spending a few minutes before and after practice talking with my swimmers, and look forward to every practice and every meet.

Trent Badrak - Age Group Coach

trent@machineaquatics.com

Hello! My name is Trent and I am a sophomore in college studying chemical engineering at the University of Maryland. 

I started my swimming career on the Adelphi Dolphins Swim Team at seven years old. I swam for UMAC, and then later moved to Machine. I swam for Machine for around seven years before graduating and then going to college, which soon after I started coaching for Machine at the UMD site. While I was a swimmer, I made my way to some meets like NCSA’s in Orlando and Senior Zones in Pittsburgh. Many don’t know that UMD doesn’t actually have a NCAA swim team, so post-Machine, I compete on UMD’s club swim team (although I wasn’t going to do NCAA anyways). Last year, I was a captain on it for the second semester, and my job there was to write every practice for the club. 

A fun fact about me is that I love to play the electric guitar! My favorite music is hard rock and metal from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, which influenced me to play the guitar. I especially love Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dream Theater, and Alice in Chains. 

Ellie Kim - Age Group Coach

ellie@machineaquatics.com

My name is Ellie and this is my second year coaching for Machine Aquatics. I started swimming when I was 9 years old with my summer team, the Adelphi Dolphins. I joined Machine Aquatics a year later and swam with both teams throughout middle school and high school. It took up a ton of time and included a ton of early mornings, but I was always motivated to go because of my supportive coaches and teammates. One of my favorite things about coaching is teaching the 9-10s and 8 and unders. I love their enthusiasm! I'm a student at the University of Maryland majoring in Nutritional Science and Music Performance. 

Lily Valverde - Age Group Coach

lily@machineaquatics.com

Coaching Assistants

Matt Mueller

I'm from the DC area and started swimming competitively at eight years old. My love for the sport started with my local summer pool, but soon extended to high school and club swimming. I study mechanical engineering here at UMD and have swam on UMD Club Swim for the past three years. I'm one of the Gears Level coaches at the UMD site.

In my free time, I love to explore the outdoors. I love surfing, skiing, and doing backpacking trips with my little brother. I'm excited to see everyone in College Park!