Kirk Bennewitz
Kirk attended Loyola Academy in Wilmette. He swam and played water polo there. He achieved High School All American and Illinois All State status for swimming. He was awarded a four year full scholarship for swimming at Villanova University which competed in NCAA Division One.
After two years at Villanova he transferred to Loyola University in Chicago where he was awarded a full scholarship to play NCAA D1 water polo. While at Loyola he was a member of the first water polo team outside of California to finish in the top 8 in the NCAA D1 Water Polo Championships. Loyola placed 5th and 6th in those championships during the two years Kirk played.
He is a local Evanston Dentist who returned to swimming in 1985 as a Masters swimmer as a member of the Evanston WildCatfish. He is in his 38th year as a member of the Catfish. He participated in all 24 Catfish State Championship Titles.
Kirk is level 3 Certified USMS coach and has been coaching the Wild Catfish for 6 years.
In his time on the team Kirk has not only been a swimmer, he has held every board position at one time or another and a couple more than once. He has also stepped up to Co Head Coach in 2003 when the team’s entire coaching staff resigned suddenly. The Wild Catfish handily won the ILMSA state championship that year with a record number of high point scorers.
Lisa Luttenegger
Lisa joined Evanston Masters as a coach in 2018. Her passion for swimming started as an age group and club swimmer in Arizona and she went on to specialize in the IM and Backstroke.
Lisa’s background as a competitive swimmer led her to triathlon, where her drive and athleticism led to further high achievement. She is a multiple time Ironman 140.6 & 70.3 finisher, an Age Group National Champion in the Draft-legal Sprint, and has represented Team USA at ITU/World Triathlon Sprint and Olympic-distance World Championships.
As an Evanston Masters coach, she attributes the team and its camaraderie to falling back in love with swimming as an adult. She particularly enjoys working with newer swimmers, triathletes, and helping others rekindle that same renewed passion she has experienced. In her thirst for additional knowledge to share, she has achieved USMS Level 2 Coaching Certification.
Lisa doesn’t just talk the talk. She won the 2022 ILMSA State Meet High Point Award for her age category!
Madison Graham
Max Grodecki