Indiana Hoosier head coach Ray Looze was named Coach of the Year by the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA). Indiana University has listed the award on its swimming & diving team page.
It’s the first time Looze has been awarded the ASCA honor. Last year’s award went to Cal’s Dave Durden, and the previous three years awards were won by Bruce Gemmell, NCAP club coach and age group coach of Katie Ledecky.
Looze put for swimmers onto the U.S. World Championships team this summer, headed by world champ and world record-breaker Lilly King. King won gold in both the 50 and 100 breaststrokes in Budapest, breaking world records in both.
Indiana also had Cody Miller, Blake Pieroni and Zane Grothe competing for Team USA at the World Championships. Miller won gold from his prelims leg on the 4×100 medley relay, Pieroni gold from a finals swim on the 4×100 free relay, and Grothe bronze with his finals swim on the 4×200 free relay.
The ASCA has given out its Coach of the Year award every year since 1961, when another Indiana Hoosier won the award – the legendary James ‘Doc’ Counsilman, who coached the IU teams from 1957 to 1990.
Just joining the choire. Ray is a fantastic coach and a great man.
Congrats Ray!
Great choice. Congrats!!
Congrats to Mike Westphall too! I know he had a lot to do with the success of all the IU swimmers who performed so well at Worlds. Very underrated coach!
Westphall is the REAL DEAL!
agreed .
Lilly King set the only WRs by an American swimmer this year, in the 50 and 100 breaststroke.
Her coach was the right choice for Coach of the Year. He seems to know more about breaststroke than anyone in the world.
Except for some dude named Peaty.
I bet Ray Looze could tell you exactly what Peaty does to swim those times.
And how to dolphin kick like Cody Miller.
lol
And Sergio Lopez
Sergio inherited one breaststroker from Arizona (cordes) and hasnt had anyone else besides Micha Lawerence who quit under Segio.
Ray Looze and (last year’s) Dave Durden – both well deserving
Congratulations Ray! Very much deserved!
Congratulations to Ray, well deserved!