Texas A&M Adds Wes Foltz, Allyson Sweeney, Duncan Sherrard To Coaching Staff

Texas A&M has announced numerous additions to its coaching staff after Blaire Bachman was announced as the school’s first Director of Swimming and Diving earlier this month. Wes Foltz has been hired as an associate head coach while Allyson Sweeney and Duncan Sherrard will be assistant coaches. Diving coaches Jay Lerew and Jeff Bro have been retained.

Wes Foltz

Foltz arrives at Texas A&M after most recently spending a year at UCLA as an assistant coach. Prior to UCLA, Foltz was a member of the Virginia staff alongside Bachman. Foltz spent five seasons at Virginia from 2017-2022, where he primarily worked with the sprint group. While at Virginia, the women finished top ten at NCAAs in all four championships (including NCAA team titles in 2021 and 2022) while the men were in the top 10 the final three seasons.

Before coaching at Virginia, Foltz was an assistant coach at NC State for a year. That was his second stop at NC State after beginning his collegiate coaching career with the Wolfpack as a volunteer assistant from 2012-2014.

“I’m honored with the opportunity to be a part of the Texas A&M athletic department and community,” Foltz said. “I can’t wait to get back on deck with Coach Anderson and I look forward to continuing the deep tradition that is Texas A&M Swimming and Diving.

Allyson Sweeney

Sweeney will arrive as an assistant coach after most recently spending two seasons as head coach of Georgia Southern. She stepped down as head coach at the beginning of April.

Sweeney was hired by Georgia Southern right at the start of the 2022-2023 season and was one of the last Division I coaching positions to be filled that offseason. Prior to arriving at Georgia Southern, Sweeney had most recently spent time as an assistant coach at UNC-Chapel Hill for three seasons. Before UNC, she was a volunteer assistant with Auburn.

She returns to her alma mater as she was a student-athlete at Texas A&M from 2009-2014 including helping the team to two Big 12 team titles.

“My experiences at Texas A&M University — including my athletic & academic careers — have heavily influenced my personal life’s journey,” Sweeney said. “Being extended a new opportunity to return — to honor the legacy of former Aggie student-athletes while elevating current and future generations — is a humbling moment.”

Duncan Sherrard

Sherrard comes to Texas A&M after serving as an assistant coach with South Carolina from 2021-2024. He also has prior experience in the SEC with Auburn serving as an assistant there from 2018-2021.

In addition to his experience in the SEC, he spent time at North Carolina and also brings head coaching experience as he was the head coach of Division II Florida Southern from 2009-2015.

“I am so thankful for Blaire, for giving me this opportunity to join the Aggie family,” Sherrard said. “From the moment she was hired I was intrigued by her vision and what she wants to do at A&M. I can’t wait to get to know the team, contribute to her vision, and be an Aggie.”

This is the first time that the Aggies have a “Director of Swimming and Diving.” This past season, the women’s program finished 3rd out of 12 teams at the 2024 SEC Championships and went on to finish 14th at NCAAs. That was their highest finish on the women’s side since 2019.  The men’s program was 4th out of 10 teams at SECs and 16th at NCAAs.

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GrizzUT
1 month ago

What happened to Caroline? I heard she wanted to be head coach for A&M women and wasn’t even being offered interviews?
Is she just not a fit/good coach?

YGBSM
1 month ago

Soooo ….. Sweeney stepped down in April from Georgia Southern, with lots of bluster from the AD about how she “pursues her passion for a career outside of athletics”. That was fast. Somebody got some ‘splainin’ to do?

Certainly happy for this coach, and for A & M. Hopefully works out great for all.

Interested party
1 month ago

 I agree that this has been a brutal comment section, but I also agree with some points but again it is just opinion.
Jay is one of the best people I have ever met in the swimming world. I don’t ever believe he intended to retire this year and has been extremely loyal to the university. I believe Jay had chosen great assistant coaches in his program. Doug was fantastic coaching starts and teaching starts, Ryan was taken away by Bowman to go to Arizona State for Phelps, and he hired Jason who help bring in some new ideas in dryland and coaching. This improved the program. Steve had earned the right to retire when he wanted to and… Read more »

Dude Where’s my Car
1 month ago

can we get a where in the world will Calanog land article. He has been a major part of two of the four greatest short course swimmers of all time (Dressel and Casas) and seems like a game changer someone should be making room for on their staff

Admin
Reply to  Dude Where’s my Car
1 month ago

I wouldn’t even know where to start. Honestly, and without knowing anything other than what jobs he’s not getting at this point, it comes down to two most likely scenarios:

1) South Carolina (Bolles connection with Poppell)
2) A club job staying in Texas

Those seem like by far the two most likely outcomes.

Jay Holmes’ Daughter
1 month ago

I can’t count the times that I’ve been told this week, “your dad was not treated the Aggie way”. What a sentence. The Aggie way. What is the Aggie way? I think Texas A&M University could not answer that question, better yet the athletic director or people who hold power at the University.

The people of power, the directors, assistants and coaches are not Aggies. No, Aggieland, you had an Aggie as a head coach and you forced him to retire. He was loyal to a fault and you treated him like garbage. Thrown out for younger coaches.

To all the Aggies who have fond memories of their time in Aggieland, please listen. Your Aggieland is changing and I… Read more »

EmbarrassedAlum
Reply to  Jay Holmes’ Daughter
1 month ago

Strong disagree that “the Aggie way” is 16th place finishes at NCAA Championships. Women’s tennis and women’s golf both won historic NCAA titles this year.

I loved your dad, I love everything he stands for and represents, but he had his chance. The world moves on. Sports are competitive. If he had a plan to make the team a consistent top 10 program, then great. It doesn’t seem like he did.

Admin
Reply to  Jay Holmes’ Daughter
1 month ago

Jay Holmes’ Daughter – please try and stick with one username within any given commenting section. Thanks!

ForGotham
Reply to  Jay Holmes’ Daughter
1 month ago

Jay had a great run and clearly has a lot of alumni whose lives he impacted. Coaches change, programs change, but the memories and the impact that a program had on you doesn’t. Administrations always suck and rarely ever make the right call, but a Univeristy is just a University. There’s no point in starting an uprising for someone that was going to leave in a year or two, the rebuild was imminent. Let a new staff create new memories and love for TAM and let old alumni continue to look back on their memories positively.

SwimSwamSwum
1 month ago

The complete unprofessionalism of Allyson telling her athletes, staff and administration at Georgia Southern she was getting out of coaching because she wasn’t happy doing it anymore & she was meant for more in life…then she turns around just weeks after to take a coaching job with a program where she has to now coach and recruit two genders is unbelievable.

Anonymous
Reply to  SwimSwamSwum
1 month ago

You’re clueless and I’m willing to bet you have no real ties to the situation.

I’m willing to bet this is a dream job for Allyson and likely did not think this would be a possibility for her at the time.

GATA
Reply to  Anonymous
1 month ago

lol ok … if your heart isn’t in coaching it won’t be in it when the honeymoon ends

Anonymous
Reply to  Anonymous
1 month ago

No one would know about the situation if they were not involved!

Good thing to know for my kid looking at A&M.

Admin
Reply to  Anonymous
1 month ago

Are you actually proposing that someone commenting about the head swim coach of Georgia Southern University and what she told her athletes has “no real ties to the situation”? As if there are just…Georgia Southern University/Allyson Sweeney haters who clicked around the internet until they saw a random name one day?

Totally agree with your hypothesis in the second sentence. But your second sentence neither supports your first nor undermines the claim of the OP.

YGBSM
Reply to  SwimSwamSwum
1 month ago

Agree. Posted similar above. Not many coaches / ADs are willing to publicly admit the coach wants to leave and looking for another opportunity quietly is too much work while still coaching their current team. From the outside, it certainly appears that is the case here. Not a good look.

Sarcastic
1 month ago

Is this the Auburn rejects staff? Anyways, good luck with this lot Aggies. Flakey and bad tempered.

Adam Depmore
1 month ago

https://swimswam.com/2024-aggie-swim-camps-sign-up-today/

To anyone who wants to argue college programs don’t make money, look at how much each swim camp session costs and how quickly all sessions fill. Jay and Steve did an exceptional job not just with the Men’s and Women’s swim program but propelling the swim camp to the level it is now. I’ve heard it brings in over 5mil in revenue but can only speculate.

Not only is the swim camp a major revenue generator for the school it brings people in to visit a school that is essentially in the middle of nowhere Texas pretty isolated from any major city.

I wish the new staff all the best and hope Jay continues to stay… Read more »

Mathematician
Reply to  Adam Depmore
1 month ago

5 MILLION? Let’s say there are 200 campers at each of the five camps (surely an overestimate) for 1000 campers total. You’re saying A&M brings in $5000 for every camper? Even though the published registration fee is $895? Ok.

Dan
Reply to  Mathematician
1 month ago

Based on the numbers from the link provided, I get it to a maximum of $765K in Revenue and that would require all campers to stay overnight.

Adam Depmore
Reply to  Mathematician
1 month ago

Swim camps generate revenue through various means, which can include:

Donations and Grants: Contributions from individuals, corporations, and government grants are a primary source of revenue for many camps. This can include one-time donations, recurring contributions, and large philanthropic gifts.

Seeing how Texas A&M currently ranks #2 in the Nation from it’s sports programs, I could see this camp receiving a significant portion of this.

Fundraising Events: There are three annual giving (ongoing fundraising efforts, usually aimed at smaller donors, to support the camp’s operations); planned giving (major gifts bestowed by wills and trusts); and capital campaigns (efforts to secure large sums for a specific purpose, such as a new building or an endowment).

Again, considering the level of competitiveness… Read more »

Admin
Reply to  Adam Depmore
1 month ago

Did you ChatGPT this response?

Adam Depmore
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 month ago

In the realm of academic pursuit, particularly within the distinguished University of Texas’ renowned non-profit education program, I undertook an intensive 12-month course. This rigorous academic endeavor was designed to provide comprehensive, in-depth knowledge and a profound understanding of the multifaceted world of non-profit organizations and their educational methodologies. Over the course of this year-long immersion, I engaged deeply with a diverse curriculum that encompassed a wide array of topics, ranging from organizational management and strategic planning to fundraising and community engagement.

Throughout this intellectually stimulating period, my relentless curiosity propelled me to actively seek clarity and deeper insights on numerous occasions. This involved posing a multitude of intricate and probing questions, aimed at unraveling the complexities of the subject… Read more »

Admin
Reply to  Adam Depmore
1 month ago

Did you Delve into a Deep Dive too?

Coach
Reply to  Braden Keith
29 days ago

It was a cavernous cave

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022 and 2023 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. Currently, Anya is pursuing her B.A. in Economics and a minor in Government & Law at …

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