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 in the 50 free.
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.
The whole women’s team has experienced a different coaching staff every year. Leah was the only constant we have had for the past three years. We had a rough start but our relationship with Leah has grown so much. She became the only person we could trust and Rick had to take her away as well… because to him we are only numbers and times on a page. Anyone who views us as more than machines or would challenge him… he will try to get rid of them (and in this case he did).
It would be more unusual for a Top 25, Power 5 program to have the same coaching staff two years in a row than it would be for it to change every year…
Says who?
Well I mean if you are cutting 30 swimmers you don’t need as many coaches. Would it be surprising to see coaching cuts across all SEC swimming teams in general?
not surprising since it has already happened at just about every sec school
Had her as a PE coach at UF for swimming and she worked.us.ouuut. Best shape I’ve ever been in. 20 years on and I still clearly remember that class.
Love this.
First Murslack at Florida and now Stancil at LSU…Not a good trend. Heading doesn’t make it sound like it was her choice…
Might be missing another associate head but, yeah, not a good look on the sport.
There’s what, 3-4 women over combined programs? 0 women over men? And a boat load of men over women’s programs.
Enhanced Games?
First ‘Black’ women to reach an Olympic swimming Final is : Enith Brigitha NL .
Bronze 100 and 200 free at the 1976 OG
I cut the sentence off early – in the 50 free specifically. It has been corrected, thank you for the note.
“At the latter in Sydney, she became the first Black woman to reach an Olympic swimming final.”
I’m old enough to remember a black woman Enith Brigitha winning two swimming medals at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enith_Brigitha
Yes I mistakenly didn’t finish the thought. Should be “in the 50 free.” Thanks for catching that.
Plantains in the bag sis
Please explain what that means.
He won’t