A pair of Pac 12 foes have made moves to expand their coaching staffs today, with Arizona hiring Brandy Collins and Utah adding Tami Johnson.
Collins comes to Arizona after two seasons at LSU, where she was a part of Dave Geyer’s staff that has revitalized the program. Collins has focused her work on the breaststrokers and the IM’ers, where she’s coached among others Jane Trepp, the 2011 SEC Champion in the 100 breaststroke. In Baton Rouge, she worked both with men’s and women’s groups, which will fit well into the co-ed program at Arizona under the direction of Eric Hansen.
In Arizona, she’ll rotate through different groups to become acclimated to the training system, and then she will get a group. She takes over for Tracy Duchac, who resigned last week.
Tami Johnson comes to Utah in her first ever college coaching role. Johnson from 6 years of experience with the famed Bluefish Swim Club that developed swimmers like Elizabeth Beisel. Specifically, Johnson led the age group program at their Attlesboro, Massachusetts site.
The Utah coaching staff this season will be very green, but at the same time will have the youth and energy that it sometimes takes to ignite a mid-level program like that. Other hires they’ve made this offseason include James Winchester, who spent a few years restarting the University of New Orleans program post-Katrina; and Mason Norman, who spent four years at Wingate before serving as an interim assistant at Tennessee next season.
Head coach Greg Winslow will now have the opportunity to build and develop this staff exactly how he wants to, which can be an exciting (if not sizable) opportunity for a college coach.
Welcome home Brandy – great hire!