Liz Hobbs begins her 12th year as an assistant coach for the Lumberjack swimming and diving program. She has been a familiar face around the program for several years, including serving as the "Voice of Wall Aquatic Center" performing public-address duties during swim meets.

Hobbs has a long pedigree in swimming, both as a competitor and a coach. As a swimmer, she is a 15-time U.S. Masters Swimming national champion and set a Masters world record for the 50-meter freestyle in 1988. She was a 10-time All-America performer over four years at Alabama (1979-83), also winning Southeastern Conference individual titles. She was a qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1980, 1984 and 1988. She was a state sprint champion and record holder in both the 50 and 100 freestyles in Florida (1977-79) and Illinois (1976).

As a coach, she has served in several capacities at the club and collegiate levels. Since 1997, she has been the head coach of the Arizona Mountain Masters club team based in Flagstaff. She also had been a men's and women's assistant swim coach at Illinois Wesleyan (1987-92) and a women's assistant at Illinois State (1985-86). She has coached several club teams in Illinois, New Jersey and Pennsylvania before coming to Flagstaff.

Other opportunities within the sport have come in marketing and sales. Since 1995, Hobbs has been national marketing manager for Speedo Authentic Fitness, and has worked with Dolphin International (1994-95) as national sales manager and as assistant director of team sales and promotions for The Finals Swimwear (1992-94).

Hobbs earned her bachelor's degree in marketing/management from Illinois State. She is married to Dr. Brandon Cruickshank, an assistant professor of chemistry at NAU. The couple have two children, Baden and Camden.