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Texas Longhorns men’s swimming and diving head coach Eddie Reese is officially hanging up the towel after 43 seasons leading the program, most recently to a 2021 national championship.
Across his career at Texas dating back to 1979, Reese has taken home 42 consecutive conference titles, 41 consecutive top-10 finishes, 12 NCAA runner-up finishes, six third-placing finishes, and a whopping 15 national titles. It’s expected that Reese won’t step away from coaching entirely, as he’ll return in an emeritus role with the program.
“Where we are today and where I am today is made possible by everyone who has swum here before and is swimming here now,” Reese said in a news release via Texas Sports. “They are such a big part of the success of this program. When people get together with the mindset of accomplishing something, even though it is tough during that year in time, it just adds up to something truly amazing. I want to thank those guys who trusted me, did all the hard workouts and made the sacrifices in and out of the water. It has been an honor for me to be a part of this program.”
Reese has also taken home the honor of NCAA Coach of the Year eight times; he’s a four-time American Swimming Coaching Association Coach of the Year; and a three-time College Swimming & Diving Coaching Association of America National Coach of the Year. Not to mention he’s the only swimming coach across the NCAA to take home a title in five separate decades, including his first in 1981 during his third year coaching at Texas.
“Eddie Reese is truly the greatest coach ever,” said UT Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte in the release. “His records speak for themselves, but the way he led his program, trained and prepared his student-athletes to perform at their best in the pool and all facets of their lives, is just exemplary and extraordinary. Nobody has or ever will do it better. There certainly is some a level of sadness seeing our legend retire, but what a wonderful time it is to celebrate his amazing legacy. Rest assured though, while he will be stepping aside as head coach after the Olympic Games this summer, we are fortunate that he’s agreed to continue on in an emeritus role with our program. Thankfully, that will allow his impact with our student-athletes to carry on.”