DeSorbo named finalist for ASCA Coach of the Year

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia swimming & diving head coach Todd DeSorbo was named one of six finalists for the 2022 George Haines Coach of the Year award, the American Swimming Coaches Association announced on Thursday.

DeSorbo joins Dave Durden, Ray Looze, Greg Meehan, Anthony Nesty and Michael Norment as the finalists for the award, which highlights swimming excellence at the world level.

All six finalists coached athletes who won gold medals at the recent World Championships in Budapest. This award is given annually to the individual whose coaching effectiveness has contributed the most towards American swimming excellence at the World level. The 2022 ASCA George Haines Coach of the Year winner will be revealed on Sept. 8, 2022, at the Awards Banquet during the ASCA World Clinic at the Westgate Resort in Las Vegas.  For more information on the ASCA World Clinic, go to www.ascaworldclinic.com.

DeSorbo served as the head women’s coach for Team USA at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest. There he led the women’s team to 10 gold medals, five silvers and 10 bronze medals.

UVA’s Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass each won three medals during the world championships. Walsh won an individual gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley and was part of two gold medal-winning relays (800 free relay and 4×100 medley relay) in prelims.

Douglass won three bronze medals, grabbing an individual bronze in the 200-meter breaststroke and as part of the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay and mixed 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

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.