The University of Alabama has added another assistant coach, Jake Larson, to its swimming & diving coaching staff for the 2023-2024 season. Larson comes to the Crimson Tide after spending five seasons at Miami University in Ohio, where he spent four seasons, including last year as an associate head coach.
“I’m really excited to add Jake to our staff,” Alabama head coach Margo Geer said. “I think he is a great fit for what we are trying to do here and will be valuable in building relationships and bringing talent to Tuscaloosa. He brings with him a plan for success both in the classroom and in the pool, and knows how to develop student-athletes into the best versions of themselves. We can’t wait for him, his wife Rachel, and their son James to join us.”
While with the RedHawks, Larson served as the international recruiting coordinator and assisted with official and unofficial visits. He coached the middle distance stroke and individual medal groups for his first four years and was the sole oversight for all distance training last season.
That includes oversight of Miami freshman Evan Kindseth, who placed 2nd at the 2023 Men’s MAC Championships in 15:38.02, though he had a high school best of 15:31.
The Miami men won their third straight MAC Conference Championship last season while the women’s team placed 3rd out of 8 teams.
Larson’s hiring continues an almost-total rebuild for the Alabama coaching staff this off-season. Besides third-year head coach Margo Geer, who had no prior significant coaching experience before taking over at Alabama, only one other swimming assistant from last season is still on the Alabama staff.
That one assistant is Reed Fujan, whose name has been connected to some of the high-profile associate head coaching jobs that are still open around the country, so there’s a chance that he won’t return next season either.
Besides Larson, other additions to the staff in the offseason include Andrew Hodgson from Northwestern and Michael White from Wisconsin.
Alabama’s NCAA Finishes:
- 2021: Men 15th, Women 5th
- 2022: Men 14th, Women 4th
- 2023: Men 19th, Women 14th
Prior to serving as the associate head coach at Miami, Larson was a graduate assistant coach for St. Cloud State University (2016-18) where he worked with the sprint group. He also was an assistant swim coach at Wisconsin-La Crosse (2014-16), where he administered all workouts, strength training and dryland for the distance group. Additionally, he spent time as a camp coach at Stanford University and Nike Sports Camps (2015, 2016).
“I am unbelievably thankful to Coach Margo and her staff for the opportunity to join the Alabama family,” Larson said. “Alabama has a notoriously high standard of achievement and excellence, and it’s an honor to be joining such a historic athletic department. I cannot wait to help contribute to the Crimson Tide’s future success! Roll Tide!”
Miami has hired Kile Aukerman, formerly an assistant at Ohio State, to backfill Larson’s slot.
Lol
why so late in the off season, new budget year or something?
Greg Bryne is one of the best AD’s in the country! Haters always hate winners. Roll Tide!
The only reason he still has a job is b/c of football. He will be out once Saban retires. Football has masked over all the blunders he has made (hiring Stickels with all his flaws, and now Margo with 0 experience).
He is getting ready to axe the program in next year or two.
Bama has the $$$$. Swimming isn’t going anywhere. New $21 million dollar aquatic center… ROLL TIDE!
Rec runs that pool. That is not the swim teams dedicated pool. It should be buts its not and that’s just the facts.
Every NCAA swim facility is run by Rec.
Just a fact too!
Almost every. There are a few aquatics facilities owned by athletics.
I had the opportunity to swim under Jake during his last year as a grad assistant at SCSU, he was absolutely phenomenal in the time that I knew him and wish him all the best in his new role!
I believe Reed is no longer an assistant. He recently became an Associate HC. At Alabama.
Greg Byrne is quickly becoming my least favorite AD ever. Dude hates our sport, apparently.
Why brag about coaching one distance swimmer to go 7 seconds slower?????
Jake didn’t write this article, I did.
Because they did an extensive search process and interviewed every applicant obvi