Olympic champion swimmer Allison Schmitt announced her engagement to Gavin Walker via Instagram on Tuesday.
“Cheers to planning our most special day of 2025,” Schmitt wrote in the announcement.
The couple has been together for over a year, first going public on social media in August 2023.
The engagement was pulled off with the help of the Phelps family, as Michael and Nicole Phelps’ four young kids wore shirts displaying the words “will you marry me?” for the occasion.
Schmitt is a four-time Olympian and ten-time Olympic medalist, qualifying for her first Games in 2008. Over the course of her Olympic career, Schmitt accumulated four gold medals, three silver and three bronze.
Three of her golds came in 2012 at the London Games when she won the 200 freestyle individually, 4×100 medley relay and 4×200 freestyle relay.
Schmitt competed for the University of Georgia Bulldogs beginning in the fall of 2008, becoming a six-time NCAA individual champion over the course of her collegiate career. She claimed the NCAA title in the 500-meter free in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and in the 200-meter free in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
Walker is the associate strength and conditioning coach at Vanderbilt University, working with a variety of different sports including men’s tennis, cross country and track and field. Prior to arriving at Vanderbilt, he served as an assistant sports performance coach at Arizona State University, where he worked with the men’s and women’s swimming programs.
Schmitt recently retired from competitive swimming and now works with BSN Sports, where she serves as the honorary chief empowerment officer for SURGE, an initiative aimed at inspiring female participation in sports.
Schmitt graduated with her master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University in 2023.
Congrats, Allison.
Glad I read the article haha First thought was what a bum he’s had four kids with her and yet to pop the question!
Charlotte – NCAAs is held in yards ✅
Cute that the Phelps relay team was involved. Congrats Schmitty!