University of Cincinnati Head Swimming and Diving Coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle has announced her retirement, the school said in a press release on Tuesday. Commons-DiSalle just finished her 12th season as head coach and 16th season overall with the program.
“In my nearly 20-year coaching career, I am grateful to have spent the majority of my time at the University of Cincinnati,” said Commons-DiSalle. “I have had tremendous support in building and maintaining a successful program and I want to thank the athletic department for affording me this opportunity. I am grateful for the ability to lead the Bearcats during my time here and to make a lasting impact on the program. Working with the incredible student-athletes over the years was truly a joy. The University of Cincinnati will always hold great memories for me and a special place in my heart. Go Bearcats!”
The Cincinnati women finished 4th out of 10 teams at the 2026 Big 12 Championships last month while the men’s team finished 6th out of seven programs. The women were led by senior Joleigh Crye who swam to a conference title in the 100 breast with a 58.02. Crye also defended her title in the process as she won the event in 2025, becoming Cincinnati’s first ever swimmer to win a Big 12 title.
Crye competed in the NCAA Championships in all four of her season with the Bearcats. Crye’s highest finish came in 2025 when she was 4th in the 100 breast, the highest finish by a women’s swimmer in program history. Crye was 8th in the 100 breast at the 2026 NCAA Championships earlier this month.
Crye competed alongside teammate Lindi Worrell at the 2026 NCAA Championships as Worrell finished 21st in the 100 breast. Worrell just finished her junior season.
Back in 2025 during his senior season, Hunter Gubeno became the program’s first male individual Big 12 Champion as he won the 200 back in a 1:40.38. Gubeno made the 2024 NCAA Championships as a junior swimming in prelims of the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM.
Prior to joining the Big 12 in July 2023, the men’s program captured the 2018 and 2019 American Athletic Conference (AAC) team titles.
GOOD RIDDANCE! On top of the reign of terror already mentioned, Mandy regularly discriminated non white athletes and would make disparaging comments sometimes even go as far as to make fun of these athletes in front of other athletes. She played favorites to the male sprinters and regularly made the women feel less than for their body shape or size. Someone should start a class action and get her to pay for the all the damage she has done in so many people’s lives.
Hire Randi Vogel!
Maybe Monty will come back! What ever happened with him?
Mandy cut me because she didn’t like me, and I couldn’t stop crying. I was deeply hurt by that decision and fell into depression. I went from winning the mile my freshman year to being cut right before my senior season. I hope the UC coaches will consider bringing me back for another year so I can go for my masters!!!
Is she “retiring” because she was President of the CSCAA, and well, we know what that means…?
Her term as president is over.
Ending Mandy’s reign is a decade overdue. She created a toxic environment and threatened to remove scholarships if certain times weren’t achieved. She belittled swimmers publicly and encouraged athletes to take easy majors that would not interfere with practicing 10 hours over the maximum 20 allowed by the NCAA. She coached the team through constant fear and intimidation.
Mandy’s coaching staff turned a blind eye to her cruel coaching tactics. She made me and many hate the sport we loved. I love the University of Cincinnati, the Athletic department and my teammates, Mandy not so much……
Hopefully, they don’t drop the program. The AD at Cincinnati, John Cunningham, is horrible. In fact, I believe the Women’s 4th place B12 finish was the best of any sports team at the school under Cunningham’s tenure. I thought Mandy did a good job, in spite of a losing culture in the UC Athletic Department.
We’re hearing this everywhere.. the ADs are horrible. In some cases it’s probably true. But not every AD is horrible. They are under tremendous pressure to make college athletics make sense to the people that look at numbers. It’s only going to get more difficult since House/NIL nuked common sense.
Go to gov salaries and check what the UC coach made. It’ll show you how little respect they have for the coaches of a program they want to perform at the national level way before House too
Finally! Saw someone else say reign of terror and that is so true. So many complaints filed with the athletic department about her and nothing was done because they were long time friends of hers. She had girls fighting/ wrestling in the sand on training trip because they were the slowest 2 on a freestyle set- both girls were breaststrokers- and one was twice the size of the other one. The rest of the team had to stand in a circle and watch- most girls on the team were crying by that point watching it… She called us athlete students not student athletes… She played favorites like no other and would take girls off of relays just because she didn’t… Read more »