Open mobile menu

Wilson Named Georgia Tech Head Swimming & Diving Coach

June 8, 2005

ATLANTA Stuart Wilson, an assistant coach at Georgia Tech the last three years, has been named the head coach for the Yellow Jackets’ men’s and women’s swimming and diving program, Director of Athletics Dave Braine announced Wednesday.

In his three years with the Tech program, Wilson has guided four swimmers to the NCAA Championships and tutored two Atlantic Coast Conference champions in the distance events.

Wilson has helped the Yellow Jacket men to three consecutive top-35 finishes at the NCAA Championships and three straight top-five showings in the Atlantic Coast Conference, including a third-place finish in 2005 for the second time in school history. He has also been instrumental in the growth of the women’s program, which just completed its fourth year by tallying a program-best 286.50 points at the ACC meet and boasting two All-ACC honorees for the first time.

Tech sent a combined program-best four swimmers to the NCAA Championships last year and four of the six All-America honors earned by Yellow Jackets have come during Wilson’s tenure.

Former Tech standout Shilo Ayalon and current swimmer Sam Morgan both garnered All-America honors under Wilson’s tutelage. Ayalon holds four school records and was named ACC Most Valuable Performer at the 2003 ACC Championships.

Last season, Rob Miller, Morgan and Elizabeth Stowe all qualified for the NCAA Championships under Wilson’s guidance. Morgan won his first ACC title in the men’s 1650-yard freestyle and Miller finished fifth. Stowe posted a third-place finish in the women’s 1650 free to earn All-ACC honors. All three clocked lifetime-best times in their respective events for Yellow Jackets.

“We are very excited to have Stuart Wilson lead our swimming and diving program,” said Braine. “He has more than proven himself as an assistant coach, and he deserves this opportunity. He has all the ingredients to be a very successful head coach.

“Stuart is committed to building our program with outstanding student-athletes. With the tremendous facility that we have, combined with the academic reputation of Georgia Tech and all the things that we have to offer, we feel that we can build a top swimming and diving program.”

“It’s exciting, because I’ve been coaching for 15 years, and my goal was to be a head coach at a premier Division I swimming program, and Georgia Tech is just that,” said Wilson. “Georgia Tech is an up-and-coming program, with a great facility and tremendous academics.

“I want to thank Dave Braine for this wonderful opportunity and the trust he’s putting in me. I feel that this program can be in the top 20 on a consistent basis and atop the Atlantic Coast Conference.”

Prior to joining the Yellow Jacket staff in 2002, Wilson spent 11 years with nationally-prominent club team Swim Atlanta from 1990-2001, serving as the team’s Head Senior Coach for his last four seasons there. In this position, he planned and implemented strength and conditioning programs for swimmers age 13-and-over. He also handled administrative duties, including fundraising, travel arrangements, public relations and record-keeping. He worked as a head age group coach with Swim Atlanta from 1990-98.

Wilson coached several successful swimmers at Swim Atlanta, including 2004 U.S. Olympian Amanda Weir, who set national age-group records (11-12 and 13-14) in the 50 free. Additionally, he mentored swimmers that posted more than 50 national top-16 age-group performances.

As an athlete, Wilson competed at the University of Georgia from 1984-88, reaching the finals of the SEC Championships in the 200 and 500 free in each of his last three seasons. He was an NCAA qualifier in the 400 free relay and held the school record in the 200 free at one time. Wilson also qualified for U.S. Nationals in his final six seasons of competitive swimming.

A native of Atlanta, Wilson, 41, graduated from Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1989.

-30-

RELATED HEADLINES

Swimming & Diving Fowler Named ACC Diver of the Week

The honor is the sixth of Fowler’s career.

Fowler Named ACC Diver of the Week
Swimming & Diving Platform Dive Sweep and Another Program Record Cap Off GT Invite

Diving ends the weekend with four wins; swimming sets four new program records.

Platform Dive Sweep and Another Program Record Cap Off GT Invite
Swimming & Diving Day Two of Georgia Tech Invite Features Win from Fowler and Multiple Top-Ten Times

Sophomore Diver Max Fowler claims second win of the weekend.

Day Two of Georgia Tech Invite Features Win from Fowler and Multiple Top-Ten Times
Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Legends Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets