USA Swimming announced Thursday the appointment of Todd DeSorbo and Anthony Nesty as the U.S. Olympic head coaches in 2024, with DeSorbo tabbed to lead the women’s team and Nesty given the reins to guide the men’s squad.
Both coaches currently lead two of the most prominent college programs in the country, with DeSorbo having propelled the University of Virginia women to three consecutive NCAA Championship titles, while Nesty coaches the high-powered University of Florida men’s team, and has recently helped bring the Gator women back to prominence, including winning the 2023 SEC title.
Internationally, DeSorbo and Nesty assumed the same roles at the 2022 World Championships, where the United States dominated the medal table with 17 gold and 45 total medals. That appointment came after both were assistant coaches at the Tokyo Olympics.
At the 2023 World Championships, Nesty was again named an assistant coach for the U.S. team, while DeSorbo opted out to spend more time at home—and reset for the Olympic year—with his associate head coach at UVA, Blaire Anderson, heading to Fukuoka in his place.
Bob Bowman (Arizona State University) and Carol Capitani (University of Texas) were the U.S. head coaches at the 2023 World Championships.
DeSorbo put Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh and Maxine Parker on the U.S. women’s roster at the 2023 Worlds, with that trio combining for 11 medals, six of which came from Douglass.
Douglass won the women’s 200 IM individually, going 1-2 with A. Walsh, and also earned silver in the 200 breast, while G. Walsh picked up an individual bronze in the 50 fly in what was her major international debut.
“I’m excited to be leading Team USA next summer in Paris,” DeSorbo said. “I’m looking forward to working with Anthony and the rest of the USA Swimming staff to help the athletes perform at the highest level in Paris.”
Nesty put Bobby Finke, Kieran Smith and Jake Mitchell on the men’s team in Fukuoka, while Katie Ledecky was the top performer on the women’s side.
Ledecky won repeat individual gold medals in the women’s 800 and 1500 free while adding a silver in the 400 free, and Finke was the silver medalist in the men’s 1500 free (with the 3rd-fastest swim ever) and also took bronze in the 800 free.
Nesty is also adding Bella Sims, an incoming freshman at Florida, to his list of Olympic-contending athletes this season, and he’s also expected to land superstar Caeleb Dressel back on the Olympic team in 2024 after his extended break saw him miss the 2023 Worlds roster.
Nesty also coaches 2021 Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant, who DeSorbo previously coached at UVA before she transferred to Florida last year.
“I am genuinely honored and equally humbled by this recent appointment,” Nesty said. “I wish to thank Tim Hinchey, CEO (USA Swimming) and Lindsay Mintenko, National Team Director (USA Swimming), for giving me this prestigious opportunity. I will work diligently to make sure our team will be honorably represented at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I will also whole-heartedly assume this role with enormous commitment and enthusiasm. I eagerly look forward to working in unison with our athletes and the United States Swimming Staff in the coming months. Additionally, it will be a pleasure to again work alongside Todd DeSorbo, Head US Women’s Coach. Our goal will be to passionately secure many outstanding medal performances on this respected and esteemed world stage. This is the pinnacle of the sport and we will advance toward our goals with purposeful pursuit. Go USA!”
At the Tokyo Olympics, three of Nesty’s current athletes, Dressel, Ledecky and Finke, combined to win seven of the nine individual gold medals won by the U.S. team, although it’s worth noting that neither Dressel or Ledecky was training under Nesty at the time.
“I am thrilled Coaches DeSorbo and Nesty will be joining us in Paris and am looking forward to the experience and leadership they will bring to the Games,” said Lindsay Mintenko, Managing Director of the USA Swimming National Team.
U.S. Olympic Head Swim Coaches
Since 2000
| Olympic Games | Head Men’s Coach | Head Women’s Coach |
| Sydney 2000 | Mark Schubert | Richard Quick |
| Athens 2004 | Eddie Reese | Mark Schubert |
| Beijing 2008 | Eddie Reese | Jack Bauerle |
| London 2012 | Gregg Troy | Teri McKeever |
| Rio 2016 | Bob Bowman | Dave Marsh |
| Tokyo 2020 (2021) | Dave Durden | Greg Meehan |
| Paris 2024 | Anthony Nesty | Todd DeSorbo |
The assistant coaches for the Olympic team won’t be named until June 24, 2024, the day after the conclusion of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The pool swimming portion of the 2024 Olympic Games will then kick off just over one month later on July 27 and run through August 4 at the Paris La Défense Arena in Paris.
This is what we expect from Swim swam not hazing
Nesty also coaches Olympic Silver Medalist Emma Weyant
Great choices, great gif. Just great stuff all around. Really looking forward to the US bouncing back from an underwhelming world championship performance. These two fellas will certainly help!
My two cents – Ron Aitken needs to be selected as an assistant coach. I know it depends on OT results, but the snub for Tokyo was just embarrassing. He sent three athletes and he’s gonna send more. He’s earned it. They need to do what’s right and select him as an assistant coach.
Great coaches! Hope we can get some women for assistants…
Why does gender matter
The fact that you’re asking that question says a great deal. I assume you’re not a woman. The facts are clear: 1 woman Olympic head coach (ironically McKever…) in the last 25 years in a sport that features over 50% female competitors at the club level….
Take a look at USA Swimming leadership over the last 40 years. No woman has ever been the CEO and only 1 female president.
Of course gender equity matters. Take a look on deck or how many club head coaches and NCAA head coaches are women. Fewer than 10%. It won’t change unless leadership is forced to make it so. Pretty shameful representation.
So it begs the question “Why aren’t there… Read more »
I just think whoever is most qualified should get the job not regardless of gender
Well then what wise suggestions do you have for female coach? What female coaches could even be considered over Durden, Bowman, Nesty, Reese, DeSorbo, Looze, etc etc?
Nothing is legally stopping women from being pilots, surgeons, referees, etc, so why don’t women do them? If you are a woman, why don’t you go to medical school and become a surgeon? Too hard? You don’t feel like it? Then quite complaining.
As for the World Cup, you are dead wrong. The women who play at the world cup get over 20% of revenue made at the tournament. Men get 7%. Does that sound like equality to you? Men are getting less than half of what women get. The only issue… Read more »
Everyone downvoting this comment hates facts.
Interesting to note that you seem to have a pretty strong opinion on who watches women’s soccer. Perhaps you don’t watch women’s swimming either. Global viewership for Women’s WC vs World Championships swimming (men’s + women’s) don’t come close.
https://swimswam.com/world-championship-highlights-draw-fewer-than-200000-viewers-on-nbc/
World Cup is a false premise. It’s about absolute $$. Women could receive 99% of revenue and it would still pale in comparison. $270K for each participant (women).
As for medicine or any other profession, just because something is “legal” doesn’t mean it’s fair or equal when it comes to accessibility or possibility. The HBR article helps elucidate this very eloquently:
https://hbr.org/2018/06/whats-holding-women-in-medicine-back-from-leadership#:~:text=What's%20Holding%20Women%20Back,promoted%20because%20of%20their%20gender.
With respect to swimming, the selection criteria as it… Read more »
I hear McKeever has an open schedule
Aww….no confidence in Bowman that he’ll put the interests of US swimmers above his own foreign swimmers?
‘Merica!
Maxine Parker also part of the UVA crew at 2023 Worlds!
DeSorbo also now coaches Olympic silver medalist Claire Curzan.
How many Olympic gold medalists have gone on to be head Olympic coach?
What a great coach and better person Anthony is! Bad ass swimmer too
disagree.