DALLAS (SMU) – Head Coach Steve Collins has been at the helm of the SMU women's swimming and diving program for 30 seasons. The program has won 16 conference championships, produced 93 All-Americans and won 24 individual swimming or relay NCAA national championships during his tenure. A talented coach, he continues to lead talented individuals.

It's no secret that Collins has produced quality student-athletes both in and out of the pool, but he has also mentored a successful group of assistant coaches, who have made a lasting impact on the SMU women's swimming and diving program.

Current assistant Ashley Dell was a standout student-athlete and captain at the University of Iowa. An all-time top-10 performer in the 500- (8th), 1,000- (10th) and 1,650- (6th) yard freestyles, Dell earned Academic All-America Honorable Mention accolades from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. She was also named to the Dean's List on two occasions and was an All-Big Ten academic selection twice.

"The strong reputation of the swim program that consistently makes appearances at NCAAs and the history in the top 25 drew me to SMU," Dell said.

That success continued last year after the Mustangs' conference championship. "I've never even come close to winning a conference championship, so winning the American Athletic Conference last year has definitely been my favorite memory of coaching so far."

Dell began swimming at an early age. However, she doesn't have many memories from her six-year old self that would rank as the most successful of her career.

"I remember being extremely slow for years, placing among the last ones in my heat. The only ribbons I received were the good effort ones."

Throughout the years, though, it was her hard work and determination that earned her a spot with the Hawkeyes, and that is something that shaped her as an individual and prepared her for a her successful career upon graduation.

"My collegiate career is one of the main reasons I am who I am today," she said. "Swimming for Iowa was the best decision I've ever made, and a huge part of why I decided to get into collegiate coaching. It taught me the time management skills, discipline, commitment, determination, hard work and leadership qualities that I will hold for the rest of my life. The sport of swimming, especially collegiately, gave me so much that I knew it was my turn to give back, by becoming a coach.

Though Dell has given so much to SMU in such a short time, both Collins and the student-athletes have given much to her in return.

"One of the many things that Steve [Collins] has taught me is that swimming is such a world-wide sport. He is so good at recruiting from all over the world and we have so many different backgrounds on our team – all here to do the same thing. It's pretty special.

"He has also taught me that, in most cases, quality is better than quantity. It's not always necessary to swim thousands and thousands of yards at practice, but it can be more about the quality of work you put in during those yards."

Outside of the pool, Collins has also taught her lessons about the student-athlete, about how to handle teaching moments and relationships.

"I've learned that every individual is very different - in what they swim, how they train, how they react and much more - and might need a different kind of reaction or attention in certain situations."

The guidance and mentorship is something that Dell says will definitely help her throughout her entire career.

She admits it hasn't all been easy, though. The six-year old who followed her mother to the pool in Lake Forest, Illinois, has come a long way since swimming under mom's care.

"At first when I stayed in Iowa City to be the volunteer assistant coach it was pretty tough. There were people on the team just 6-12 months younger than me, who I had been very good friends with while I was swimming. It was also hard for a few years because I missed competing and being a part of the team, and I had to learn how to look at swimming in a different way."

The transition has gotten easier each year for her, and she just loves still being around the pool and sport. The student-athletes have also played a large part in the transition and learning experience, also teaching her a thing or two.

"Our student-athletes put a smile on my face every day and I'm thankful to have this group in my life. They've taught me how to remain light hearted, but also serious when need be. They have taught me how to love coming into work because they make it fun and easy."

In two seasons with the Mustangs, Dell has helped lead the team to a conference championship in 2015, and a runner-up finish in 2014. Six student-athletes have earned All-America accolades, for a total of eight honors. There have also been 23 student-athletes who have accounted for 30 all-conference honors, and the team has been named a CSCAA Scholar All-America team on multiple occasions.

Dell earned a master's in tourism management with a concentration in sports management from GWU, and has a bachelor's from Iowa in sport studies with a Spanish minor.

She and the Mustangs return to action on Jan. 9 for a dual meet in College Station, Texas, against Texas A&M.