LSU Parts Ways With Associate Head Swim Coach Leah Stancil

LSU has parted ways with associate head swim coach Leah Stancil after three seasons. Her last day with the program was May 19.

Stancil joined the Tigers for the 2022-2023 season after previously being the head coach at Tulane. That was head coach Rick Bishop‘s second season in charge.

Stancil previously spent a decade at her alma mater the University of Florida, where she focused on sprint events. She also had a two year stint at South Carolina (2006-2008), one year at NAIA power SCAD (2005-2006), and one year as a graduate assistant at Florida (2004-2005).

LSU’s staff still includes assistants Lyle Robelot, Brogan Barr, Jon Sakovich, diving coach Drew Livingston, and grad assistants Delaney Crowder and Walker Creedon rounding out the staff.

As an athlete, Stancil (formerly Martindale) was a 12-time All-American for the Gators and a member of the Barbados National Team, where she set multiple national records. She also represented her home coutnry at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. At the latter in Sydney, she became the first Black woman to reach an Olympic swimming final.

The LSU men and women both finished 7th at the 2025 SEC Championships. That was a spot lower for the men and a spot higher for the women from the year prior.

The women finished 22nd and the men 19th at the NCAA Championships.

Stancil and her husband Michael have three children; Michael currently works at LSU as a licensed professional counselor.