College swim coaching legend Eddie Reese announced his retirement this spring. But University of Texas officials are suggesting things might not be as final as originally announced.
Update: Reese himself has confirmed that he will not be retiring in a statement: “There’s more that I want to do for this current team,” Reese said. “We have a great group of guys in our program. They have a great future in the sport, and I want to help them see how good they can be.”
University of Texas President Jay Hartzell and Vice President/Athletics Director Chris del Conte went back and forth on Twitter this morning, suggesting that Reese had rescinded his retirement paperwork and would be returning to coach the college team again in 2021-2022.
The full exchange is below. Del Conte first announces that he’d received Reese’s retirement paperwork, tagging Hartzell. The school president responds, seemingly joking that he’ll be rejecting Reese’s retirement application. But the two continue the back-and-forth and seem to confirm that Reese is indeed reversing course and remaining in the college coaching ranks into next season.
Good morning, @_delconte. I've considered this & thought through what's best for Coach Reese, @TexasMSD & @UTAustin.
I'm rejecting this application for retirement.
I think Coach Reese has a 16th national title left in the tank – at the very least!
— Jay Hartzell (@JCHartzell) July 1, 2021
Just to confirm, then, @_delconte: We all agree that Coach Reese is coming back to go for #16?
— Jay Hartzell (@JCHartzell) July 1, 2021
Yes sir! At your request Eddie has rescinded is paper work and is on deck with @TexasMSD as we speak.. Good work my friend 🌍🤘🏽 https://t.co/AGY5jMrCsK
— Chris Del Conte (@_delconte) July 1, 2021
It’s not April fools day… Eddie’s Baaack! 🤘🏽🤘🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/r7enm1bSKu
— Chris Del Conte (@_delconte) July 1, 2021
We’ve reached out to the school for confirmation. A representative of the athletic department said they hadn’t heard anything about Reese’s status beyond the tweets from the school officials. A representative of the Longhorn swim & dive program deferred to the athletic department. The most clarifying response we’ve gotten was a two-word tweet reply from Del Conte suggesting that nothing would change with the current structure of the swim/dive coaching staff, with Reese as head coach, Wyatt Collins as assistant coach, and Matt Scoggin as diving coach:
Nothing changes 🤘🏽🌍 https://t.co/H106qyStHG
— Chris Del Conte (@_delconte) July 1, 2021
Reese’s original plans were to retire after this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, but remain connected to the program as a coach emeritus. Reese is one of the most successful college coaches in history, winning 15 NCAA team titles over his 43-year coaching career in Austin. He led national title-winning teams in five different decades: the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and as of this spring, the 2020s. His Longhorns won the 2021 NCAA title, Reese’s 15th.
Most recently Reese helped three swimmers to the U.S. Olympic team. Townley Haas is a Texas alum still training with Reese, and made his second Olympics as a 200 freestyler. Drew Kibler is a rising senior for the Longhorns and also made the 4×200 free relay. And Gunnar Bentz is a Georgia grad and returning Olympian who now trains with Reese out of Austin.
You can BET James Foster gave a directive to Reese that Jake and Carson are GONE if he retires before they graduate.
Time to retire!
GOAT
Eddie took the advice of his college kids and went all-in on bitcoin. Retirement funds trashed, he’s now looking for work.
LOL! Now this comment is a classic!
If he had taken the advice in 2013/2014…he would be worth 300 million!
Remember how Cal jumped out on Texas on Thursday at NCAAs this year? Everyone thought it was over. What if Eddie played the retirement card that night because Texas came out on 🔥Friday. Dominated the rest of the way. What if this is motivational strategy? 🐐 moves.
Dominated the diving
Clearly Eddie Reese has earned the right to step away (or not) in any way he chooses. Also clear is that Texas is extraordinarily lucky to have Matt and Wyatt as part of the Texas MSD program. Kudos especially to Wyatt for having Eddie’s back, standing ready while this gets figured out- it doesn’t take too much imagination to know how much of the recruiting, scheduling and early morning work Wyatt’s already been doing for the Longhorns.
Wyatt is a beast.
Texas must not have much faith in Wyatt.
Can’t wait for the Stanford men to win the natty!!!
Breaking: Michael Andrew commits to Texas due to landmark NCAA ruling forcing Eddie’s return