UVA Promotes Assistant Coach Blaire Bachman to Associate Head Coach

Virginia Swimming & Diving head coach Todd DeSorbo announced today that assistant coach Blaire Bachman has been promoted to associate head coach. Bachman joined the Cavaliers coaching staff in August of 2017, exactly 4 years ago. During that time, UVA has won back-to-back women’s ACC team titles, and won their first women’s NCAA team title in program history last season.

Speaking on the promotion, DeSorbo stated that “Blaire has been an instrumental part of our rise and success the past four years,” adding “Our program would not be where we are today without Blaire.”

DeSorbo then got more specific, noting that “[Blaire] directly coached Paige Madden the last four seasons which culminated in three NCAA individual titles, a U.S. Olympic Team berth, and ultimately a silver medal and an American record.” The statements mark high praise for Bachman, as Madden had a historically great NCAA career, finishing as a 14-time NCAA All-American, and 13-time ACC Champion, in addition to her 4 NCAA titles.

Well deserved. Key component to our success! #GoHooshttps://t.co/ePQXkylY0Z

— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) August 13, 2021

Bachman has focused her efforts on coaching the middle distance swimmers at UVA. She came to UVA from Indiana University, where she served as an assistant coach and the women’s recruiting coordinator. She also has Division I experience coaching at Dartmouth. She began her collegiate coaching career at the NAIA’s Brenau, where she served as the head coach and aquatics direct. During her first season at Brenau, she was the youngest head coach in the country. She was awarded NAIA Swimming & Diving Women’s Coach of the Year in 2014.