2023 Golden Goggle Awards
- November 19, 2023
- Los Angeles, California
- Digital Program
- 2023 Nominees
- SwimSwam Official Ballot
Dave Durden was named the 2023 Coach of the Year at the Golden Goggles, marking his 2nd time winning this award. Todd DeSorbo, Anthony Nesty, Ron Aitken, and Bob Bowman were the other four nominees for the award.
Durden is the current head coach at the University of California, Berkeley. Notably, he also won this award back in 2016, where his Cal Golden Bears had a great showing at the Rio Olympic Games.
Durden placed six swimmers on the U.S. World Championship this summer, including Jack Alexy who won the Breakout Swimmer of the Year award earlier in the night. Alexy started off his summer by winning the 100 freestyle at the US World Championship Trials (47.93) after posting a 47.75 personal best in the heats. He later placed 2nd in the 50 freestyle (21.63) to add another event to his World Championship schedule. Once in Fukuoka, Alexy continued his rapid progression with more best times in the 50 (21.57) and 100 (47.31) freestyles to secure silver medals in both.
Durden also coached Dare Rose to a World Championship team berth this summer, as he won the 100 butterfly at the U.S. World Trials (50.74) before lowering his time to 50.46 to take the bronze medal at Worlds.
Ryan Murphy, Hunter Armstrong, Destin Lasco, and Abbey Weitzeil were the other four Cal representatives for Team USA. Of those athletes, five of the six walked away from Fukuoka with at least one gold medal to their name. Each of the six walked a way with a medal of some color.
Durden also coached three of the four swimmers on the final of the U.S. men’s 4×100 medley relay at the World Championships. Murphy, Rose, and Alexy swam the backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle legs respectively. Armstrong also swam on the prelims relay for the United States, highlighting the Cal backstroke depth that we see so often.
Saw him at the USOPTC when the Cal team was training during a Paralympic meet. I complimented him about his kids, because they were kind and talked to the Para swimmers and even stayed to watch the meet.
The college coaching glazing is absolutely insane. Ron Aitken has produced star studded athletes at such a young age starting them from nothing. He has created world class swimmers and college coaches bask in his limelight. When is it Aitken’s turn.
When his swimmers win gold medals at the Olympics or World Championship.
What about Ron!! Desorbo!!
I think you could’ve picked DeSorbo, but in 2023 it seems to me like what Durden did with basically making the US relays go and big breakthroughs by Dare Rose and Jack Alexy he was the best choice. That’s two swimmers who weren’t supposed to be there who were – a taste of the developmental aspect + the “elite” aspect.
I’ve never seen a coach get so much undue credit for the work of their assistants and getting carried by January arrival international students.
Jack Alexy is international student?
Ryan Murphy is international student?
Dare Rose is international student?
Andrew is ecstatic
DeSorbo robbed
Durden’s swimmers won more medals in Fukuoka.