Tag: Anthony Nesty

Anthony Nesty named ASCA George Haines Coach of the Year

Team USA’s strong showing at the Paris Olympics helped Florida’s swimming head coach earn the honor this year.

Florida’s swimming head coach [autotag]Anthony Nesty[/autotag] was named the 2024 ASCA George Haines Coach of the Year recipient on Thursday night at the Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Celebration during the ASCA World Clinic at the Rosen Centre Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Nesty was the men’s U.S. Olympic swim team head coach at the summer Olympic Games in Paris, where Team USA earned three golds, four silvers and three bronze medals. Former Gators standout [autotag]Bobby Finke[/autotag] was among those gold medal recipients, setting a world-record time (14:30:67) in the 1500-meter freestyle event.

Finke also earned a silver medal in the 800m free.

Another Florida alumnus, [autotag]Caeleb Dressel[/autotag], took home two gold medals — the men’s 4x100m free relay and mixed 4x100m medley relay — while adding a silver to his mantle with the men’s 4x100m medley relay team.

Former Gator [autotag]Kieran Smith[/autotag] was also part of Team USA’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team that swam to a second-place finish.

About the award

This award is presented annually to the individual whose coaching effectiveness has contributed the most towards American swimming excellence on the World stage. Nesty was named one of five finalists on Aug. 21 of this year, joining, Bob Bowman, Todd DeSorbo, Dave Durden, Greg Meehan, who had numerous medalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The ASCA Coach of the Year has been awarded since 1961. Past recipients include many greats in the profession, including George Haines, for whom the award is named, Doc Counsilman, Eddie Reese, Bob Bowman, Gregg Troy, Jon Urbanchek and many others. The last three winners have been Dave Durden, Anthony Nesty and Gregg Troy.

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Gators sending all-time high 40 Florida athletes to Paris Olympics

There will be a whole gaggle of Gators competing in Paris these next few weeks.

The University of Florida will have a school-best 40 current Gators and alumni at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which kicks off this week in the City of Lights. The Orange and Blue have the fourth-best showing among college institutions.

Compare the 2024 numbers with the 39 UF representatives at the 2008 Beijing Games and 35 at the Tokyo Games in 2020.

In addition to those 40 competitors, Florida has five coaches also in Paris for the games — one of whom will also be competing. [autotag]Anthony Nesty[/autotag] is the head coach for the US men’s swimming team while Whitney Hite is also on the Team USA swimming staff as an assistant and personal coach.

Nic Petersen is Team USA’s jumps/multis coach for men’s track and field while [autotag]Leanne Wong[/autotag]’s coach Owen Field will assist the USA Gymnastics squad. Rhyne Howard will play for USA Basketball in the 3×3 event.

17 Gators are repeat Olympians

Amro Al-Wir (Jordan 2x), Maha Amer (Egypt 2x), Lloydricia Cameron (Jamaica 2x), [autotag]Caeleb Dressel[/autotag] (U.S. 3x), Joseph Fahnbulleh (Liberia 2x), [autotag]Bobby Finke[/autotag] (U.S. 2x), [autotag]Grant Holloway[/autotag] (U.S. 2x), Genevieve LaCaze Gregson (AUS 4x), Adriana Leon (Canada 2x), Josh Liendo (Canada 2x), Alberto Mestre (Venezuela 2x), Alfonso Mestre (Venezuela 2x), Jasmine Moore (U.S. 2x), Deanne Rose (CAN 3x), Hakim Sani Brown (JAPAN 2x), [autotag]Kieran Smith[/autotag] (U.S. 2x) and Emma Weyant (U.S. 2x).

Gators are representing 21 different countries in Paris

Argentina (1), Austria (1), Australia (1), Bahamas (1), Canada (5), Colombia (1), Egypt (1), Germany (1), Great Britain (1), Greece (1), Jamaica (3), Japan (1), Jordan (1), Liberia (1), Lithuania (1), Netherlands (1), Nigeria (1), Norway (1), United States (14), U.S. Virgin Islands (1) and Venezuela (2).

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