STAFF
STAFF
Head Coach & Owner - Dennis Lugemwa
Coach Dennis began his swimming journey with the Wilmington Park Barracudas. As a self-described soul swimmer, he spent his high school summers teaching kids and adults how to swim, which eventually sparked his passion for coaching. In 2009, he became a certified USA Swimming Coach and has been dedicated to the sport ever since. Coach Dennis founded LCAC to give back to the swim community that helped him grow as a person.
Coaching Experience and Achievements:
Georgia Coastal Aquatic Team (2010-2012):
Coached multiple state record holders.
Coached teams first 1st place Age Group State relay.
Coached teams first National Age Group record holder.
Nova Southeastern University Swim Club (2012-2014):
• Coached athletes at the state, sectional, futures, and junior national levels.
Low Country Aquatic Club (2014-Present):
• 2022: Coached the team to a 2nd place finish at the Long Course Age Group State Championships (small team division)
2023: Led the team to back-to-back 1st place wins in both Short Course and Long Course (small team division)
Coaching Philosophy:
Focus on personal athlete development, emphasizing growth as individuals.
Connect with each individual athlete, helping them reach their full potential.
Assistant Coach - Emily Stigall
Emily started her swimming career and grew up here in Savannah, GA. She was a Division I swimmer at East Carolina University. Her favorite event was 200 fly, which she achieved US Open qualification. She returned home to Savannah, GA in 2010 and started a family. Emily and her husband, Ryan have two children, Sara and Rachel. Sara has the passion for swimming as she has and is a current member of LCAC. Emily became a certified USA Swimming Coach in 2021 and she is excited to bring her knowledge and passion for swimming to the LCAC coaching staff!
Assistant Coach - Ella Zimmerman
Ella is one of our Assistant Coaches and has been coaching with LCAC since 2022. Ella was born in South Carolina, lived in Tennessee for 8 years and then moved to Savannah in 2014. She started swimming when she was 12 years old with the Starfish Swim Team at the Aquatic Center in 2016. Ella joined LCAC in 2017, where she swam competitively for 5 years. Her favorite stroke was Freestyle and her favorite event was the 50 free. Even after she stopped swimming competitively during her senior year in 2022, she realized that she didn't want to leave the team and sport that she loved so much. So, Ella decided to use her knowledge of swimming to give back to the team that taught her so much about hard work and dedication and became a USA Swimming certified coach. In addition to coaching year-round with LCAC, Ella is also an Assistant Coach with the Isle of Hope Sharks summer league swim team and has been with the Sharks since 2023. When Ella isn't coaching, you can find her playing piano/ukulele, working at Chick-fil-A or you may even spot her with her cap and goggles on, practicing with the team on the weekends! Ella is so happy to use her knowledge and love of swimming to teach and inspire our young swimmers as well as to help LCAC continue to grow as a team and as a community.
Parent Coordinator - Carrie Zimmerman
Carrie is our Parent Coordinator, or as the kids like to call her, "team mom", and has served in this role since 2021. Most days, you'll find Carrie on the deck greeting swimmers, talking to parents, helping kids put on swim caps, locating lost equipment, sitting with swimmers who don’t feel well, and ALWAYS with her trusty LCAC Notebook in hand! Carrie and her husband, Paul, who is the Executive Director at Chick-fil-A Victory Drive, have been married since 1998 and have three children who all swim and/or coach for LCAC. The Zimmermans have been a part of our team since 2017. Carrie was born and raised here in Savannah and graduated from Calvary where she played basketball and volleyball. Carrie has also lived in South Carolina (where she met Paul and graduated from college) and Tennessee (right in the heart of the Smoky Mountains). When Carrie isn't sending out team communications, on deck helping the team or cheering at a meet, she's busy homeschooling her children, hanging out with her family, baking, or dreaming of her next trip to the Smoky Mountains.