Legendary Georgia swim coach Jack Bauerle announces retirement

Legendary Georgia swim coach Jack Bauerle has announced his retirement from the sport on Wednesday. Bauerle spent over 50 years with the Bulldogs in Athens both as a student athlete and a coach. He secured his spot as the longest tenured coach in Georgia athletics history with his 35th season in 2013-14 and matched former LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux for the longest tenure of any coach in SEC history.

“It is a bittersweet moment in Georgia Athletics history. Jack has been the foundation of unparalleled success of our men’s and women’s swimming and diving program for a half a century,” Georgia athletics director Josh Brooks said. “While we will miss him on the pool deck, we know that Jack will always be a part of our athletics family, and I look forward to working with him in different capacities as an involved alumnus. We wish him the very best in this next phase of his life.”

“I have had the great honor of working with Jack Bauerle since 1999, when I led the UGA Honors Program and so many of Jack’s student-athletes were Honors Students and Foundation Fellows,” University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead added. “Jack is an iconic figure at UGA and within the global swimming community, having won multiple national championships while coaching and mentoring many All-Americans and NCAA post-graduate scholars. His coaching record at Georgia and in the Olympics is unmatched in our athletic history and, on behalf of the entire University of Georgia community, I thank him for his profound contributions to our institution.”

Bauerle began his coaching career at Georgia in 1979 as the head coach of the women’s swim and dive team. He added the responsibility of being the men’s team coach in 1983 and has coached both ever since. In his time overseeing Georgia’s program, the Bulldogs have won seven NCAA titles and 12 SEC championships on the women’s side of things with 62 different men and women team members winning 175 national championships. The women’s swim team has posted 48 top-10 finishes, including 21 top-5 finishes in the 22 seasons from 1995 to 2017. Furthermore, 304 student athletes were named All-Americans under his direction while Bauerle was chosen SEC Coach of the Year 18 times (16 women’s, two men’s) and National Women’s Coach of the Year on seven occasions.

Bauerle has also been involved outside of Georgia with swimming on a national level. He was selected as the head coach for the United States women at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, leading Americans to 14 medals. Including Beijing, Bauerle has coached for Team USA in each of the last six summer Olympic Games.

Statement from Bauerle

“It’s time.

It’s time for me, for my family, and for my team.

First, I want to thank my wife Leigh Ann, and my sons John, Magill, and Duke for their commitment and sacrifice over the years. Leigh Ann has not only been a huge source of support, but my greatest motivator. The sport of swimming runs year-round and can be all-consuming at times, but they have constantly been understanding and supportive.

Thank you to our president Jere Morehead, our athletic director Josh Brooks, and our sport facilitator Darrice Griffin for their support. President Morehead and Darrice have been critical in helping us navigate these past few years, and with Josh, one of my few regrets is that I only wish we had more time to work together. I also want to share my gratitude to Vince Dooley and Liz Murphey for taking a chance on me in 1979 and entrusting me with this program. Working for and knowing Coach Dooley has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, and I cherish our friendship.

Thank you to the student-athletes for everything they have given me over the years. They have truly motivated me as much I have motivated them. During my time, we have had the privilege of coaching 87 Olympians from 20 different nations, bringing home 40 medals in the process. Last year in Tokyo was another major success for our program. In addition to our Olympic success, 62 different athletes have won 175 NCAA championships, with hundreds of All-America honors. I have had so many great kids, and I miss so many of them every day.

But our accomplishments have not only come in the water, but in the classroom as well. Over 43 seasons, our program has produced three NCAA Woman of the Year winners and 39 NCAA postgraduate scholarship recipients, more than most athletic departments across the country. Those statistics are the ones that I am proudest of.

Thank you to the coaches I have had the pleasure of working with over all these years. I will miss the conversation, humor, and banter on the deck at 5:30 a.m. We definitely solved a lot of problems before the world woke up every morning, and I am grateful for their dedication and assistance. I especially want to thank Harvey Humphries for serving at my side for 39 years. I am excited to see the coaching careers of my athletes unfold, both here at Georgia and throughout the swimming world.

Additionally, special thanks to the colleagues and mentors who have helped me become a better coach during my career. I specifically want to thank Bob Bowman, Frank Busch, Eddie Reese, Dick Shoulberg, and Jon Urbanchek for their friendship and guidance.

Finally, thank you to the countless members of our support staff who have given their time and talents toward making our program the best one possible. In particular, I want to thank the employees of the Ramsey Center for maintaining a world-class facility for our athletes and our university.

I am not yet sure of what I am going to be doing immediately, but I’ll be doing something. When I left Philadelphia for Athens in 1970, I fell in love with Georgia, but I could have never predicted the good fortune I would encounter and the wonderful people I would meet. I will miss being on the deck every day, but I am forever proud of everything we have accomplished at the University of Georgia.”

Does your blood run red and black?

Ready to get all your latest Georgia recruiting and team news in one place? Become a member of DawgsHQ today. With your DawgsHQ membership, you’ll not only have access to the goings on in Athens, but you’ll be able to peruse other fan sites within the On3 network to hear just how rivals are feeling about the Dawgs, as well. Make sure to follow along on Twitter (@DawgsHQ), on Facebook and on YouTube for all the Dawg news you need now! And listen to the DawgsHQ crew on our podcast Dawg Walk Talk on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.