Marmion Academy Names Glenn Brown as First Women’s Swim Coach
Marmion Academy is proud to announce the hiring of Glenn Brown as the school’s first-ever girls head swimming coach, marking an exciting milestone in the continued growth of the Cadet athletic program.
Brown brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience to Marmion, having coached swimming since 1996 at the age-group, club, high school, and national levels. His extensive background includes roles as an assistant age-group coach, assistant senior coach, assistant national team coach, assistant high school coach, head junior varsity coach, head club coach with the Palatine Park District, and head high school coach. Brown has also previously served on the coaching staffs at both Rosary High School and Marmion Academy, giving him strong familiarity with the Marmion community.
During his time at Rosary, Brown spent five seasons as an assistant coach under legendary head coach Bill Schalz, helping guide the program to three IHSA state championships and two state runner-up finishes. In 2019, Brown assumed the role of head coach and continued the program’s championship tradition.
Over seven seasons as head coach at Rosary, Brown led the team to back-to-back IHSA state championships in 2023 and 2024, followed by a third-place finish at the 2025 state meet. His teams produced more than 30 All-American performances, over 50 All-State honors, and numerous All-Conference selections. Additionally, more than 20 of his student-athletes went on to compete at the collegiate level following high school. Brown was also recognized with three Sectional Coach of the Year honors and four Conference Coach of the Year awards.
Since joining Marmion Academy as the boys swim coach, Brown has continued his championship-level success. He earned IHSA Sectional Coach of the Year honors, led the Cadets to the 2025 IHSA Sectional Championship, and guided the team to a runner-up finish at the 2025 IHSA State Finals.
“We are thrilled to have Coach Brown lead our swimming programs at Marmion Academy,” said Mr. Joe Currie, Athletic Director. “His proven success at the highest levels of high school swimming, combined with his familiarity with Marmion and commitment to student-athlete development, make him the ideal leader as we continue to grow our program.”
Brown expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to expand Marmion’s swimming offerings. “I am honored to continue building Marmion’s swimming tradition,” Brown said. “I look forward to developing our student-athletes and creating programs that compete at the highest level while representing Marmion with pride.”
The addition of girls swimming further expands Marmion Academy’s athletic offerings, and the school is fortunate to have Glenn Brown leading both of its swim programs into this exciting new era.
Marmion Academy Names Andrew Lifka ’17 as First Women’s Cross Country Coach
Coach Lifka, an Aurora native, graduated from Marmion Academy in 2017, continuing the legacy of his grandfather, Robert Miller ’59, great uncles Frank ’51 and Richard ’64 Miller, brothers Ryan ’10 and Eric ’14 Lifka, and cousin Matthew Lifka ’09. During his time at Marmion, Lifka ran for the cross country and track & field teams for four years under Coach Dan Klatt and led his cross country team as a two-time captain and state finalist in 2015 and 2016. Lifka went on to study at the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 2021 with a degree in mathematics, secondary education, and theology. Since his graduation in 2021, Lifka has served as a full-time faculty member and coach at Marmion for five years, with the loving support of his wife Megan (Ronzone – Rosary HS Class of ‘19).
At Marmion, Coach Lifka’s roles have included teaching Theology, Mathematics, and Leadership, leading faith retreats with the Department of Campus Ministry, and serving as the Head Boys Cross Country Coach and Assistant Boys Track & Field Coach for the last five seasons. Under Coach Lifka, the Marmion Cross Country program has pursued the team’s mission daily: “Glorify God by doing the best we can every day to become the best version of ourselves.” Coach Lifka teaches that running on the Marmion Cross Country team transcends the individual act of running itself. He explains that this team’s running builds healthy personal habits and Catholic virtues that help each runner become the best version of themselves in every realm of their life. To run on this team entails the pursuit of a goal that is higher than the individual, a pursuit where you are called to sacrifice for the teammates running alongside you and overcome all forms of adversity – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – together for the greater glory of God.
This team mission has proven successful in producing disciples of Christ in our school and world AND developing high-caliber runners on the cross country course. The Marmion Cross Country program has produced many successes and accolades under Coach Lifka’s leadership throughout his five-year term as head coach, including: 3 team qualifications for the IHSA State Finals (‘23, ‘24, ‘25), 4 individual qualifiers for the IHSA State Finals (‘21, ‘22), 1 Sectional Championship Team Title (‘23), 2 Regional Championship Team Titles (‘23, ‘24), 1 Chicago Catholic League Championship Team Title (‘23), 18 runners earning All-Chicago Catholic League Honors, 1 runner earning IHSA All-State Honors, and Coach Lifka himself earning the Chicago Catholic League Tony Lawless Coach of the Year Award (‘23).
Coach Lifka is grateful and excited to receive this opportunity to expand the Marmion Cross Country team’s storied legacy of greatness, character development, and Catholic discipleship to the first-ever Marmion Girls Cross Country Team this upcoming fall.
