The University of Arizona swim & dive program has severed ties with assistant coach Lara Jackson, multiple sources have told SwimSwam.
Jackson, an Arizona alumna and one of the most decorated swimmers in program history, was hired by Wildcats head coach Augie Busch in August 2021. Swimmers on the team are reportedly “very upset” at the news, including some walking out of practice after being informed.
Jackson returned to her alma mater after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Florida Gulf Coast University, where she helped the Eagles win the CCSA conference title in 2021.
The now 37-year-old was hired to replace Jesse Stipek, who had served on the team’s staff since 2013-14 and transitioned into teaching in 2021.
During Jackson’s brief stint on the Arizona coaching staff, the women’s team has finished 19th (2022) and 18th (2023) at the NCAA Championships, though the vast majority of those points were scored by diver Delaney Schnell.
On the men’s side, the Wildcats placed 17th in 2022 and 32nd last season, only scoring in one event, the 200 free relay, in the latter.
Prior to Jackson’s arrival, the women finished 21st and the men 12th in 2021.
The El Paso, Texas native had an illustrious career during her time swimming collegiately at Arizona, including winning two individual NCAA titles in the women’s 50 freestyle in 2008 and 2009. She also helped the Wildcats to seven relay titles, and served as a key contributor on their NCAA championship squad in 2008.
At the 2009 Women’s NCAA Championships, Jackson won three of her national titles during the same session in the 200 free relay, 50 free and 400 medley relay. Her lead-off time on the 200 free relay, 21.27, broke the U.S. Open Record in the 50 free at the time, and stood as the fastest swim ever until 2015. It also remains Arizona’s program record to this day. Jackson would go on to win the Ruby Award later that year, given annually to Arizona’s most outstanding female student-athlete.
Inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, Jackson also won a gold medal representing the United States on the international stage at the 2011 Pan American Games in the women’s 50 freestyle.
Prior to FGCU, Jackson spent three years coaching in France with Vichy Val d’Allier Natation, a club based in Bellerive-sur-Allier, France, where she served as both the head senior coach and the head strength and conditioning coach.
The Arizona coaching staff is led by Busch, who took over as head coach prior to the 2017-18 season. Last summer, the school added former Wildcat Amanda Beard to the staff as an assistant coach, with Roric Fink and Chad Castillo also currently serving as assistants.
Prior to the hiring of Beard, former assistants Anna Heller and Clif Robbins were let go by the program following the 2023 NCAA Championships.
Arizona coaches have not responded to a request for comment as of publication.
The topic here is not Augie or his coaching staff. It is about an individual who took advantage of their leadership role to groom an amateur athlete to a level beyond appropriate levels. The fact that Arizona and other staff didn’t report it should be the conversation. Hopefully someone covers this enough to not let her not enter another possible grooming profession again. Why this topic is not a highlight of the thread is beyond me. A blacklist should exist for such situations
Why is it not highlighted? Probably because the cause of firing has not been disclosed. It appears that you are insinuating that you know the reason, but are only vaguely alluding to it. Without proof, what you are suggesting is slander and defamation, no?
Taking a story of someone’s misfortune and turning it into a self-serving opportunity to denigrate and degrade is hard to stomach. This coach had a directive, to field D1 athletes who would place team over individuals and thereby grow character and improve team performance.
If you believe you are entitled to better individual treatment, change or leave.
If you cannot appreciate the opportunity you’ve been given, change or leave.
If you would prefer to hold others accountable for your shortcomings, change or leave.
Swimming starts as an individual pursuit. It becomes less about individual achievement and more about our value to others. The best of us are extremely valuable to others. The best teammates bring out the best in others,… Read more »
The firing of the sprint coach opened the flood gates for people to express their feelings about the coaching staff at Arizona. There are some great coaches in the program and they should be commended, the problem is with the head coach ONLY!
Previous statements including mine are 100% factual. If you are trying to dispute them as a parent which I assume you are, you’re grossly misinformed about what is taking place almost daily with the team. I encourage you to make a phone call to your swimmer and ask them to dispute any of the things mentioned in any of the posts.
You mentioned focusing on Team over Self. Augie told the swimmers back in August… Read more »
I ask you to not assume facts. First, you do not know the facts surrounding the loss of this coach; therefore, it is not a fact that the events justify a floodgate event. In fact, the lack of facts suggests an opportunistic campaign to air grievances unrelated to the event.
Second, you are guessing that I have a child who suffers routine belittling and disrespect. That is two assumptions; that I am a current parent and that all swimmers on the team suffer the same aforementioned abuse. I can assure you that you are wrong. The team is not unified in your hyperbolic claim. This indicates that your perspective is flawed.
At least you are clear that your objective is… Read more »
Weird for one anonymous commenter to declare that another anonymous commenter “(does) not know the facts surrounding the loss of this coach.”
Most people in swimming have commented here at one point or another. Some are outsiders, but many, many are insiders.
The Undisputed Facts
1. The sprint coach was fired.
2. The head coach blew off the swimmers at Minnesota to sit at the bar before his flight.
3. The head coach threatened to deport a foreign swimmer last year after a bad meet.
4. The head coach told swimmers don’t worry about the team worry about yourself.
5. The head coach frequently verbally attacks swimmers calling them derogatory names when they perform poorly.
6. The head coach misses numerous practices because he is tired or just not interested.
7. Head coach is disconnected from the team typically avoids communicating with the swimmers.
8. Head coach not willing to engage with parents at… Read more »
I am a Current parent who needs to remain anonymous for the safety of my kids future!
The rumor of Augie deportation threat is 100% true Augie threatened to deport a spinter at PAC’s last year. Over 30 athletes reported numerous issues to the university last spring. How about Augie blowing off long course time trials this past December at the Minnesota Invite. He told the swimmers he had early flight for a weekend with his brothers. Swimmers arrived at the airport after the time trails only to find Augie sitting at the airport bar. Apologized to the swimmers days later saying it was a poor decision. This is not a head coach! Also swimmers have been told since… Read more »
Please stick to one username. Thanks.
My apologies I am new at this and worried about my kids future. Help these kids by exposing the many issues with Augie has the head coach. He is terrible!
Give Krystal a call she is the HR contact.
KRYSTAL
SWINDLEHURST
TITLE: Assistant Vice President & Chief of Staff, Athletics
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: 520-621-3882
This was a HR fire. As much as the leadership hasn’t done this program justice, this situation falls directly on the individual. Zero tolerance for her actions and immediate removal, all warranted.
If that’s true, the University of Arizona has had every opportunity to explain that and has chosen not to.
Of course they haven’t. For the protection of the student-athlete(s) and potential legal processes.
At the expense of Augie’s reputation, as seen below
That is how employment law works. Got to protect both sides.
Why do kids keep committing here? I get that they probably choose it because it might be the best scholarship offer, but you gotta see that it’s probably not the place to grow your swim career.
I think to answer a lot of these questions with a lot of programs, we have to acknowledge three things:
1) recruiting trips and conversations are sort of like job interviews, in that neither is particularly effective at finding best fit.
2) Scholarship money still means a lot for the bottom 90% of kids who have no illusions about where their future in swimming is going to take them
3) Brand names still mean a lot to Americans, and don’t mean much to internationals. Which is to say – telling people your kid got a scholarship to Arizona (and/or sending your kid to Arizona, which is a very good education) is still cool and worth a lot.
Arizona… Read more »
Augie Bush is more Hunter Biden than Kyle Shanahan thats for sure.
Someone had a great story on this forum about Augie passing out drunk, wearing his University of Arizona Swimming & Diving polo, at a table in a fancy restaurant during the ASCA convention. The story sort of sums up his entire coaching tenure…
here’s the link to the article & comment section that mentioned Augie passed out drunk at a restaurant at an ASCA clinic… i knew I remembered seeing it.
https://swimswam.com/ncaa-alleges-lack-of-head-coach-control-against-arizonas-augie-busch/
We want Margo!
I haven’t been following college swimming for that long and especially not since Arizona was good – can someone please give me some context? Why does no one like Augie? Why isn’t Arizona good anymore? Whenever I think of them I think of Kevin Cordes and Margo Geer 10 years ago, but that’s it. Will someone please give me some bearcat insight haha
Sorry wildcats haha
You pretty much summed it up. They used to be incredible and now are middling at best. Tanking a storied program will leave a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths
It’s a little strange because it’s not really that much of a storied program. It has a strong 50+ year history but they were a power for a stretch with Frank Busch and no other coaching staff has been anything close. Rocket had the juice, he was a wildcat through and through, I think he just struggled to have a recruiting message and brought in a lot of talent that didn’t mesh well and a lot of projects that didn’t pan out with a few big time studs trying to resemble something like the 08 team; an oddball group that rallied as one unit. That’s what Rocket preached about, recalling the 04 South African 400 Fr-R gold medal team that… Read more »
They were a really strong before the 2000s as well. In the mid to late 90s, the Arizona women won a lot of relays at NCAAs, mainly all the freestyle. They had Ashley Tappin, Trina Jackson, Liesl Kolbisen, Shannon Hosack, Denali Knapp, Laurie Kline, and others.
Those were some fun swims to watch.
Pretty sure that Rick is quite content with creating his extraordinary works of art. U of A needs an experienced coach that is personable and a good recruiter. Inconsistency in the coaching staff has been a big issue, frequent turnover is never good. No one can deny that time and a consistent message are the building blocks of establishing a culture. I was there in the beginning with Frank and it took time for the program to evolve, no secret sauce. The culture was night and day in 1990 compared to when he left in 2012. The program culminated in 2008 but there were so many people who contributed to that over the decades. George DiCarlo won gold and silver… Read more »
So much is right and so much is wrong with this post.