About Us
Denise Leckenby, MPH ~ Aquatics Coordinator
Denise Leckenby is a four-time American East conference swimmer of the year, two-time Eastern College Athletic Conference swimmer of the year, three-time Division I NCAA Swimming Championship qualifier, and a two-time Division I NCAA All-American. She was a a multi-sport athlete in New York, finally focusing on USA Swimming and High School Swimming before college. She is currently the Aquatics Coordinator for Amherst Recreation, and was the 2022-2023 Amherst Regional High School Boys and Girls Swim Coach. Denise’s approach to coaching combines her background of achievement in swimming with her work as an educator and community builder. Her focus is on technique, tempo modulation, team community building, and individual race strategy.
She has been a resident of Amherst for the past decade and she received a MPH in Community Health Education from UMass in 2018. Her current work in public health involves community based participatory research with young people in recovery. Her children are members of the rec sports community, participating in swimming, volleyball, lacrosse and theater.
Email Denise at leckenby@amherstma.gov or call (413) 259-3230
Amherst United Swim Coach Craig Albertson
Coach Craig has been a multi-sport athlete since he was 7, with a focus on soccer and swimming through high school. He was a member of the University of New Hampshire swim team for 4 years, and captain his senior year. Craig carried the lessons learned from rec, club and collegiate sports into graduate school, earning a PhD in Zoology. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Biology at UMass Amherst.
Whether the topic is advanced genetics or breastroke technique, Craig has a passion for learning and for passing on what has learned. He has coached off and on for 25 years, and is thrilled to help bring rec swimming back to Amherst. When not professoring or coaching, his favorite activities include hiking, body surfing, and nordic skiing. He also continues to swim with the UMAMA Masters team.