Reported by Braden Keith.
University of Louisville head coach Arthur Albiero and Indiana University head coach Ray Loozehave been named the U.S. head coaches for this summer’s Pan Pac Championships that will take place from August 9th-13th in Tokyo, Japan. Albiero will lead the women’s team while Looze will lead the men’s team. Both coaches had both their men’s and women’s collegiate teams place in the top 9 at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
This is Albiero’s biggest U.S. appointment yet after serving as the head coach for the 2016 World Short Course Championships and an assistant for the 2017 World Championships. He also has served on 3 World Championship staffs and the 2012 Olympic staff for Portugal. His women’s team finished 5th at the 2018 NCAA Championships, making the team one of only 4 (along with Cal, Stanford, and Texas A&M) to finish in the top 8 at that meet in each of the last 4 seasons. He’s likely to have at least two members of Team USA this summer: America’s reigning top butterflier Kelsi Worrell, and one of the country’s fastest-rising stars, five-time World Champion Mallory Comerford. He’s also the coach of National Team members Andrea Cottrell and Zach Harting.
Albiero’s prior U.S. appointments:
- 2017 World Championships – women’s assistant coach
- 2016 World Short Course Championships – head coach
- 2016 USA College Challenge – head coach
- 2015 Pan American Games – assistant coach
When catching up with SwimSwam in Mesa this past weekend, Albiero emphasized his admiration of the “no ego” culture of the Team USA coaching staff. Every coach on staff is able to do every job, no matter their position or title. Albiero gave the example of Eddie Reese going to the warm down pool during a finals session at world champs in Budapest, missing all of the action to make sure that all of the athletes were getting everything they needed before, during, or after their races.
Arthur also thinks this has a trickle down effect on the athletes, who he said the coaches barely ave to talk to about culture, saying that the team captains do a wonderful job at building and maintaining a mentality of success.
What about Terri McKeever or Steve Bultman? My guess is Greg turned down the job.. Spread the wealth especially with two head coaches that have greater success.
Best coach in the country, if not the world!
EVERY swimmer improves, every swimmer cares and praises their teammates, and their ENTIRE coaching staff is tremendous.
Once he gets a roster with DEPTH, they will be in the hunt for not only ACC championships, but NCAA championships. Go Cards, sky is the LIMIT!
Keep up the good work coach arturo!!
Nice to see some different, but also deserving, coaches leading the national team.
What a great coach! Go USA!