New University of Virginia coach Augie Busch is surrounding himself with familiar faces as he takes over his first major-conference head coaching role. In news first broken by our contributor Amanda Smith, his newest hire is a former swimmer of his at Arizona Cory Chitwood, Chitwood confirmed Wednesday. He spent the last year in his first college coaching job at LSU.
While an undergrad at Arizona, Chitwood was recognized by his teammates as a very intense swimmer and an incredible leader as a two-time team captain, and he was a member of the USA Swimming National Team. He also won three-consecutive NCAA Championships in the 200 backstroke from 2010-2012 after returning from a redshirt season in 2009 with a shoulder injury. In total, he earned 14 All-American awards.
“I’m very happy for him,” LSU coach Dave Geyer said. “I knew Cory would be a great college coach which is why I reached out to him last year.”
At LSU, Chitwood worked predominately with the middle-distance and specialty stroke groups. In total, the Tigers sent 11 swimmers to the NCAA Championships and had three individual event scorers on the men’s side, which made it one of the most successful seasons at LSU in the last decade.
Thus far, the totally overhauled Virginia staff includes Augie Busch, the head coach, Chitwood, and Sammy Busch, who was previously an assistant at Auburn.
There is still a bit of a pall over how the previous administration, led by the winningest coach in ACC history Mark Bernardino, left, but that seems to be dissolving. As the focus turns to the new staff, in the least it can be said that the three coaches hired thus far have an impressive combined resume of championship-level experience, and all three should bring an attitude and expectation of success to Charlottesville.
The classic parochial swimming circle repeats often: Age group swimmer spends much time and energy swimming, age group swimmer becomes elite swimmer, elite swimmer becomes champion, champion can’t make money as professional swimmer, champion often (not always) didn’t pick technical or lucrative major outside athletics, champion becomes swim coach.
Repeat.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. You see it in other sports as well.
Can’t wait to see how much energy he brings to the pool deck. His positive attitude is inspiring. Another positive hire for UVA. They will carry on Mark’s high standards too.
IU is a coed program led by men that doesn’t have at least one woman on staff.
Interesting,I did not know that.Anymore beside IU?
There are a few women’s only programs with an all male staff as well.
Arkansas is one of those
Marshall is another. It is not easy to find a female who wants to juggle coaching at the elite D1 level with raising kids.
And so the- soon-to-be legendary- coaching career of Mr. Chitwood begins.
AGREED!!
I hate to put it like this but they probably need a woman on the staff. I can’t think of a coed program lead by men that doesn’t at least have one women, even a token (which has been UVA’s history with female coaches). The Busch brothers and Chitwood don’t have a distance background so maybe they are really looking at re-vamping the program or maybe they will find a women to take over plus a dive coach which would put them at 5 coaches. I cant see them going over that.
Would Brandy Collins be available? That hire would make it an all Arizona staff. The UVA administration better get the equipment budget ready for more power towers….they’re coming en masse to Charlottesville.
One has to wonder if Liberty U HC Jake Shellenberger would be willing to make the cross state jump. If we’re talking power towers and the state of Virginia, he’s the guy to talk about. He also has close ties to the Arizona program as well after his summer in Tuscon a few years ago.
I would agree with Don below, I bet they have to hire a female. Any other females form the Arizona program coaching? It seems to be coming together as an all Arizona staff. Maggie Meyer from Ford maybe? Not 100% Arizona but Hansen did learn it from Frank and Meyer did train/coach with Ford.
So with this hire does this mean that they need to hire a woman for their staff to fill out the hires? Is Doak out of UVA? Any thoughts on where he is going?
This team is going to be energized with Busch, Busch, and Chitwood! Everyone will be on their toes wanting to impress. (both athletes and coaches) Can’t wait to see who else fills in on coaching staff.