USA Swimming has announced the coaching staff for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships. Bob Bowman, the head coach of the men’s and women’s teams and pro group at Arizona State, and Carol Capitani, the head coach of the women’s team at Texas, were previously named to lead the men’s and women’s teams, respectively.
They will be joined by 8 assistant coaches who were announced on Saturday evening: Ron Aitken, Blaire Anderson, Carol Capitani, Cory Chitwood, Braden Holloway, Ray Looze, Greg Meehan, Anthony Nesty, and Eddie Reese.
Of the 10 coaches, 9 come from collegiate programs. The exception is Ron Aitken, the head coach of the Sandpipers of Nevada, which is the hottest youth program in the country right now.
Two colleges are represented by two coaches each: both the women’s head coach (Capitani) and the men’s head coach (Reese) from the University of Texas were selected for the staff. At Indiana, head coach Looze and associate head coach Chitwood were chosen.
Chitwood is one of two associate head coaches going to the meet. Blaire Anderson from Virginia will attend, though unlike in Chitwood’s case, her boss Todd DeSorbo is not on the staff.
DeSorbo told SwimSwam on Saturday that he wanted to spend more time with his kids this summer after two summers away.
He’s also using the time to “reset for a bit in preparation for the upcoming Olympic year.”
“I want to make sure I am 100% ready, excited, and energized to support our team to success in the lead up to Paris,” DeSorbo said. “I talked to the team about this a couple months ago and they support and respect it. The athletes we coach are amazing people, we have an amazing staff, at UVA and the USA, they’ll be well taken care of.
“Blaire is a kick ass coach that works closely with all our athletes and has earned the honor to rep the US at Worlds. I’m excited for the opportunity for Blaire, the UVA women, and the US team, and thankful to (National Team Director) Lindsay (Mintenko) and Carol (Capitani) for supporting that.
“Looking forward to killing it in Paris.”
Aitken and Chitwood are both named specifically to the open water staff, though the convenience of having both pool and open water swimmers in Fukuoka could bring added value.
- (Men’s head coach) Bob Bowman, head coach, Arizona State – Lindsay Looney, Regan Smith (pro), Olivia Smoliga (pro), Dylan Gravley, Ryan Held, Chase Kalisz
- (Women’s head coach) Carol Capitani, head coach, Texas – Leah Smith (pro), Lydia Jacoby
- Ron Aitken, head coach, Sandpipers of Nevada – Katie Grimes, Bella Sims, Claire Weinstein (OPEN WATER HEAD COACH)
- Blaire Anderson, associate head coach, University of Virginia – Kate Douglass, Maxine Parker, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh
- Braden Holloway, head coach, NC State – Katherine Berkoff, Rhyan White (recent addition to pro), Ross Dant
- Ray Looze, head coach, Indiana – Mariah Denigan, Lilly King (pro), Anna Peploski, Josh Matheny
- Greg Meehan, head coach, Stanford – Torri Huske
- Anthony Nesty, head coach, Florida – Katie Ledecky (pro), Bobby Finke, Brennan Gravley, Jake Mitchell, Kieran Smith
- Eddie Reese, head coach, Texas – Shaine Casas (pro), Carson Foster, Luke Hobson, David Johnston
- Cory Chitwood, associate head coach, Indiana – Mariah Denigan, Lilly King (pro), Anna Peploski, Josh Matheny (OPEN WATER ASSISTANT COACH)
- Ron Aitken, head coach, Sandpipers of Nevada – Katie Grimes, Bella Sims, Claire Weinstein (OPEN WATER HEAD COACH)
Athletes listed are athletes at those programs, not necessarily that they swim directly in that coach’s training group most of the time. There are several commits to college programs listed above, but those athletes have not been included.
There are no coaches from the newly-combined Cal squad, in spite of putting five on the team (Jack Alexy, Destin Lasco, Dare Rose, and pros Abbey Weitzeil, Ryan Murphy, and Hunter Armstrong). Carmel Swim Club, another top club program, put two on the roster (Drew Kibler as a pro and 16-year-old Alex Schackell).
USA Swimming sent only 5 assistants last year.
With two women on the pool coaching staff (Capitani and Anderson), this likely marks the first time that the US has sent two women to the World Aquatics Championships as part of its pool swimming coaching staff.
Shouldn’t Matt King be listed with the UVA crew since he’s supposedly going back there?
He currently represents Texas Ford and will be there through 2024, I’m guessing that’s why he’s not listed as Virginia.
Blaire Bachman?
Bachman is her maiden name
There is at least one athlete in the recruiting window. How does this work with being coached by all of these college coaches and NCAA rules?
College coaches just can’t have recruiting conversations with them on the trip.
Guys, Brett Hawke is ranting on his IG reels about how MA was cheated. Does this guy somehow own stock in that family?
Brett Hawke cares more about 50s than he cares about seeing young swimmers have success and opportunity.
I’m laughing so hard at his insta right now 😂😂
Very happy for Henry McFadden making the worlds roster!
BH is a miserable, angry person all of the time.
No Peter Andrew? I thought they were gonna revolutionize the sport tho
Could it be that he’s the reason MA wasn’t selected (i.e., w/ no MA, no need to add PA as a coach).
That’s a lot of coaches..seems a bit much. And Meehan for one swimmer and no coach for Cal?
USA swimming paying for these bloated staffs instead of WUG roster, lol
I was thinking same thing about no coach for Cal! If Durden didn’t want to attend, he doesn’t currently have a mens assistant and female on staff is a novice and maybe not even there yet? Marsh might be going for Israel? Just speculating!
I assume Kim Williams was back in Berkeley this week to work with the current team training on campus over the summer. Durden, Bowe, and Marsh were all on deck in Indy.
Bowe said in the podcast he and the family are moving out to AA pretty soon after this meet. Marsh is working with the Israeli team.
According to sources close to Bret Hawk, Peter Andrew may get a “special assist role” as their are no Sprint Coaches on staff
there also isn’t a relay expert. peter andrew makes some KILLER lineups
Ask Ray Looze about relay line-ups!
MA swims on a team of one – how many relay lineups would his father have even gotten to make?
Why is Ress listed under NC State did I miss something?
He is an alum