Catie DeLoof

Catherine Elizabeth DeLoof (born February 12, 1997), frequently known as Catie in press coverage, is an American swimmer, who competed for the University of Michigan, and won a bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.

Early life and swimming DeLoof was born February 12, 1997 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, East of Detroit. She attended Grosse Pointe South High School, graduating in 2015 and swam for Pointe Aquatics from a young age and into her High School Years from 2005-2015. At Pointe Aquatics, a strong program in greater Grosse Pointe, she was managed by Head Coach Michael John O'Connor, a 1968 All-American University of Michigan swimmer who swam for Hall of Fame Michigan Coach Gus Stager. O'Connor began coaching Pointe Aquatics around 1985, remaining through around 2015. Catie also received coaching at Pointe Aquatics in High School from Kevin Haffner, who began coaching in 2012. O'Connor was known to have stressed fundamentals and to instill discipline in his age group swimmers that included several Olympic trial qualifiers including Catie's sisters Gabby and Ali.

As a High School Freshman in November, 2011, Catie captured the Ohio State Championship in Division 2, in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.80 seconds. Her sister Alexandra, known as Ali, placed third in the event. A consistent performer throughout her career at Grosse Pointe High, Catie earned varsity letters all four years, twice received most valuable swimmer honors, and earned All-State honors in each of her High School years. In 2012, Catie was rated first in Ohio in the 50 freestyle with a 23.61, and in the 100 free with a 50.97.

2016 Olympic trials She and her two sisters, Ali and Gabby, qualified for the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. At the 2016 trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Catie placed 85th overall in the 50-meter freestyle, with a time of 26.24, though she would continue to improve her times with the strong coaching she received at the University of Michigan. A strong regional team under a strong coach, during Catie's tenure with the Wolverine women's swim team from 2016-2018, Coach Bottom led Michigan's women's swim team to three successive Big Ten Conference titles. She was a Champion in the Big Ten conference five times in 2018-2019, in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay in 2019, and in the 800-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard Freestyle Relay, in 2018-2019. In preparation for the 2020 Olympics, the U.S. Women's Swim team trained for two weeks in Honolulu Hawaii under Women's Head Coach Greg Meehan to improve their conditioning and fitness and adjust to the Tokyo time zones. The team wore masks as a result of the COVID 19 epidemic regulations.

In late July, 2021, DeLoof swam in preliminary Heat 1 at the postponed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in the women's freestyle relay event. Her preliminary relay team included Olivia Smoliga as lead-off swimmer, Catie swimming the second leg with a split of 53.42, with Allison Schmitt swimming third, and Natalie Hinds swimming anchor. Her preliminary team placed second with a combined time of 3:34.80, helping the women's relay team advance to the final. Later, the Women's 4x100 freestyle relay finals team won the bronze medal with a combined time of 3:29.69, whereby Catie was awarded the bronze for helping the American team advance to the finals. In the finals, the Australian team took the gold medal and the Canadian team took the silver.

On Thanksgiving morning on November 25, 2021, Catie road on a float in the annual Thanksgiving parade staged on Detroit, Michigan's Woodward Avenue as a recent Olympian. The parade was televised on local channel 4 WDIV.

International competition At the 2019 Universiade, in Naples, Italy, Catie won three gold medals in freestyle and medley relays.

Deloof is a member of the International Swimming League.

Engagement Catie was engaged to 2021 Tokyo Olympian Felix Auboeck in December 2023, with an announcement on January 1, 2024. A native of Vienna, Auboeck swam for Michigan with Catie from 2016-2020, and competed for Austria in the 2020 Olympics.

Coaching In August, 2024, the University of Alabama announced they would hire Catie as an Assistant swimming coach beginning in the Fall swim season. As of June 2025, she was still coaching at Alabama. She was scheduled to attend the American Swimming Coaches Association Reno, Nevada World Clinic in September, 2025 one of the largest meetings for the members of the global swimming community. Catie had formerly coached age group swimming for the University of Michigan's summer swim camps from 2016-2019.