Oregon State Head Coach Larry Liebowitz Announces Retirement

We reported earlier today of news that Oregon State’s women’s swim program was looking for a new head coach, but the status of head coach Larry Liebowitz was unclear until now. It was recently announced that he will retire after 13 years of work for OSU.

The Beavers have had nine swimming All-Americans in their history, of which Liebowitz has coached seven. He’s led OSU to three finishes in the top 20 at the NCAA Championships, with the highest finish coming in 2004 at 20th place. That year, Birte Steven touched 2nd in the nation in the 200 breaststroke under Liebowitz’s tutelage. In 2008, he would go on to coach Saori Haruguchi, who brought home OSU’s only NCAA title in the 200 butterfly. Both Steven and Haruguchi competed at the Olympic Games (Stevens for Germany in 2004 and Haruguchi for Japan in 2008) while they were still enrolled at OSU.

“Coach Liebowitz has been an outstanding ambassador for Oregon State Athletics and on behalf of the University I congratulate him on an outstanding career,” Oregon State University Vice President/Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury said.

After assistant coaching at USC for eight years, Liebowitz relocated to fill the head coaching position at OSU in 2003.

“I have enjoyed my 13 years at the helm of the swimming program at OSU,” Liebowitz said.  “I would like to thank Todd Stansbury and Bob De Carolis (former OSU A.D.) for their support of the program, as well as the athletics support staff for our student-athletes, which I have seen improve greatly in my tenure.

“I would also like to thank my assistant coaches during my career at OSU — Magdalena Rhode, Mary Anne Gerzanick-Liebowitz and Jamie Jackson — for their outstanding contributions and support to our student-athletes and myself. It has been an honor to be a member of and represent Beaver Nation.”

Liebowitz has also coached eight swimmers at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore, as well as served as the head coach of the USA men’s team at the 1995 Pan Am Games and in 1988 for the Costa Rican Olympic team. In addition to Haruguchi and Steven, his Olympic resume includes 1984 medalists Amy White and Mike O’Brien.

According to the OSU release about Liebowitz’s retirement, “a successor will be announced in the near future.” Click here for more information as well as the job application for OSU’s now-vacant head coaching position.