Coaching Staff
JP Merchant
Head Coach -
Competitive Team
JP grew up in Southeast Michigan, where he swam summer league with Orchard Valley Swim & Racquet Club; USA Club with Birmingham-Bloomfield Atlantis; and high school swim at Detroit Catholic Central. After high school, he attended John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he studied Economics and Philosophy and continued swimming. While at JCU, he was part of three Conference Championships Teams and served as co-captain for men’s team.
His coaching experience includes learn to swim for Jenrow Swim America, Head Coach for Cleveland Skating Club, Assistant Swim & Dive Coach for Bethany College, Head Age Group Coach and Lead Swim Instructor for Sports Club Swimming, Head Coach and Swim School Director for Sports Club Swimming, Camp Counselor for Wolverine Swim Camp at the University of Michigan. He moved to Wilmington in 2012 and served as the Head Age Group Coach for Waves of Wilmington, Head Coach for the Marsh Oaks Makos, as well as serving on various North Carolina Swimming camp and team staffs. In addition to NSEASwim, he works with the Without Limits Swim programs.
Devin Lessard
Assistant Coach
Founding Head Coach
Devin is a founding member of NSEA Swim and was Head Coach for two years. She helped lead the Cape Fear Aquatic Club swimmers from a 16th place finish in Spring 2017 to a 12th place finish in Spring 2018 at the NC SCY Age Group Championships. She was also the primary coach for the best 9-10-year-old boy swimmer in NC, the best 9-10-year-old boy in the ESSZ sectionals, a swimmer with a top 10 time in 50 Fly in USA Swimming and multiple swimmers with top 5 all-time records in the state. Devin was also Assistant Coach for the Pine Valley Porpoises. Devin's success has not gone unnoticed. She was nominated for North Carolina Age Group Coach of the Year by her peers for her success during the 2017-18 swim season.
Devin grew up being a multi-sport athlete. She started swimming early and at 13 years old, she qualified for Y-Nationals both individually and as part of top 16 relay team. In high school, Devin was named Female swimmer of the year 3 years in a row. In addition to being Captain of the schools' field hockey, swim and girls' lacrosse teams, her senior year swimming was always a special love leading her high school team to a state championship title. She went four years without a loss in individual dual-meet competition, and finished with eight state titles -- four individual, and four relay. In 2014, she was inducted into her high school's sports hall of fame.
Devin holds a level 2 ASCA certification. She also has degrees in Psychology and Public Relations from Susquehanna University. While there, she was named Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year her freshman year and Female Swimmer of the Year both her junior and senior years. Devin capped off her college career year by placing 5th in the 200 fly at the 2013 NCAA Championships and earning an All-American Swimmer title.
In addition to her coaching duties at NSEA Swim, Devin is a Physical Therapy Assistant. Her goal is to be able to provide aquatic therapy to rehabilitate, prevent and maintain the specific needs of swimmers of all ages.
Andy Harrison
Assistant Coach
Founding Coach
Andy Harrison has been coaching with Northside Elite Aquatics (NSEA) since 2019, bringing over a decade of experience coaching swimmers in Wilmington, NC. His background includes working with Seahawk Swim School, year-round programs, the Wilmington Swim League, and serving as Head Coach for the Pine Valley Country Club summer team.
A lifelong athlete, Andy gravitated toward swimming early on and competed throughout middle and high school. He continued his involvement at the collegiate level with the UNCW club team, where he began shifting his focus toward instruction and athlete development.
Andy earned his Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and currently serves as a faculty member in the Healthful Living and Fitness Education (HFE) program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Health and Physical Education and a B.S. in Exercise Science. In addition to his academic and coaching roles, Andy is a certified USA Swimming Coach and holds the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
When not on the pool deck, you can find Andy surfing, rock climbing, or spending time with his wife and three children.
Genny Hauser
Assistant Coach
Genny is from Raleigh, NC and grew up swimming competitively for the Marlins of Raleigh swim team. She came to Wilmington and started school at UNCW in 2020, where she was on the swim and dive team her freshman year and competed for the schools club swim team at the national level her remaining years in college.
Genny graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in May of 2025 and majored in healthful living and fitness education, concentrating in lifetime fitness. During her last semester of school, Genny completed a 100 hour internship with NSEA where she was introduced to coaching swimmers. During her internship she had the opportunity to work as a part of a research team, studying ways to enhance feedback that coaches can give to swimmers using various forms of technology. Genny is listed as a co-author for the study which is now in consideration for publication in the International Journal of Sport Science & Coaching.
Genny is a certified water safety instructor and also coaches UNCW’s club swim team. She enjoys being outside and in nature during her free time, puzzles, trying new restaurants, football season, and seeing live music.
Brooke Simpson
Assistant Coach
Brooke is from Austin, Texas, and grew up swimming with Austin Swim Club and the
Texas Longhorn Aquatics club team. She began her collegiate journey at Pepperdine University
in Malibu, California, and later transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington
(UNCW), where she finished her collegiate swimming career in 2024. While at UNCW, she
competed as a member of the swim team in dual meets and at the CAA Conference
Championship.
Brooke began working with NSEA in the spring semester of 2025, where she started to explore
the world of coaching and became familiar with the club’s strong sense of culture and family.
She is currently pursuing a degree in Health and Wellness, with a concentration in lifetime
fitness at UNCW and is on track to graduate in the fall of 2025.
She has experience working with swimmers of various ages and skill levels through Wilmington
Swim Academy and has also taught summer league swimming for many years in her home
state of Texas. Brooke is a licensed EMT in the state of North Carolina and holds lifeguarding
certifications through Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue.
Her passion and love for the sport are evident in all aspects of her work, with a strong emphasis
on safety and fostering a true love for swimming. She hopes to bring her experience and
knowledge to make a meaningful impact within the swim club.