February 2, 2026 — Kirsty Coventry, former NCAA champion for the Auburn Tigers, back-to-back Olympic champion, and current President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has been named the Charles McCaffree Award winner by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
Selected by the CSCAA Board of Directors, the Charles McCaffree Award recognizes a collegiate swimming or diving graduate who has achieved outstanding success beyond the pool, exemplifying leadership, service, and lasting impact on sport and society. Coventry will be recognized at the 63rd Annual CSCAA College Swimming & Diving Awards Celebration on Monday, May 4, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois.
Coventry’s athletic legacy is unparalleled. Collegiately, she competed for Auburn University, where she trained under Co Head coaches David Marsh & Kim Brackin and emerged as one of the most accomplished swimmers in NCAA history. She led Auburn to three consecutive NCAA team championships (2002–2004) and earned seven individual NCAA titles, 25 All-America honors, and SEC Female Athlete of the Year (2004–05) recognition. Coventry also set multiple program records, including the 200-yard backstroke (1:50.54), and was honored as the nation’s top female collegiate swimmer with the 2005 Honda Sports Award.
“Since 2001, it has been evident that Kirsty seeks excellence and surrounds herself with hardworking, ambitious, and disciplined teammates,” said Kim Brackin, Coventry’s coach during her collegiate career at Auburn University and later as a postgraduate while Brackin served as head coach at the University of Texas. “She has always embraced audacious goals—from believing we could win the 2002 NCAA team title after finishing third at the SEC Championships to ultimately winning Olympic gold.”
On the world stage, Coventry is one of the most decorated Olympic swimmers in history. She competed in five Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016), capturing seven Olympic medals, including two gold medals in the 200-meter backstroke, and setting multiple world records. Her success established her as one of Africa’s most accomplished Olympic athletes.
“Kirsty carefully navigates her environment to ensure she is supported by like-minded teammates, family, and friends,” Brackin added. “Within that setting, she demonstrates a relentless drive and forward-thinking nature, leading both democratically and decisively. These qualities were nurtured during her time at Auburn, and I am confident her collegiate swimming experience helped shape her leadership trajectory.”
Since retiring from competitive swimming, Coventry’s influence has expanded well beyond competition. A dedicated global sports leader, she has served in numerous international roles, including as a member of the International Olympic Committee and Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. In March 2025, Coventry made history when she was elected the first woman and first African President of the IOC, officially assuming the role in June 2025.
“Unlike many athletes who prioritize rest during Opening Ceremonies, Kirsty always insisted on attending,” Brackin said. “The ceremony embodied her Olympic spirit, and she has consistently demonstrated a deep dedication to the values of the Olympic Movement.”
In addition to her IOC leadership, Coventry has contributed to global sport through service on organizations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency and involvement with the International Surfing Federation, advancing integrity, inclusion, and opportunity across sport. Her personal initiatives, including the Kirsty Coventry Academy and community outreach programs such as HEROES: Empowering Children Through Sport, reflect a deep and sustained commitment to youth development, education, and social impact.
“I have complete confidence that she will lead with passion and a strong moral compass,” Brackin concluded. “I know she will be extremely proud to be recognized by one of the communities that helped shape her into a global sports leader.”
“Kirsty Coventry’s career is defined not only by her extraordinary achievements in the pool, but by her enduring commitment to expanding the reach and impact of sport,” said CSCAA Executive Director Samantha Barany. “Her journey exemplifies how the discipline, leadership, and resilience developed through collegiate swimming translate far beyond competition. As the recipient of the Charles McCaffree Award, Kirsty represents the very best of our sport—a champion who broke barriers in the water and continues to break glass ceilings through her leadership and service beyond the pool.”
Previous Winners
2025 – Dr. David Scott, Army West Point 1954
2024 – Ambassador Andrew Young, Howard University 1951
2023 – Dr. Tara Kirk Sell, Stanford University 2004
2022 – Victoria Gmelich, Dartmouth University 1991
2020 – Roger Von Jouanne, Southern Illinois 1982 & Walter Rogers, III, Southern Illinois 1962 2019 – Dr. Brian Casey, University of Notre Dame 1985
2018 – Carter Cast, Stanford 1985
2017 – Morgan Burke, Purdue University 1973
2016 – Brad Snyder, U.S. Naval Academy 2006
2015 – Dr. James DeBord, University of Illinois 1969
2014 – John Davis, University of North Carolina 1991
2013 – Major Ray O’Donnell, University of Hawaii 2001 & Dr. Steven Scott, Springfield College 1972 2012 – Frank Comfort, Syracuse University 1967
2011 – Adolph Kiefer, University of Texas 1939
2008 – R. Todd Ruppert, Kenyon College 1978
2006 – Chuck Wielgus, Providence College 1972
2005 – Rowdy Gaines, Auburn University 1981
1998 – Pat Wall
1997 – Jody Durst, University of California, Berkley 1968
1996 – Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., NC State State University 1974
1995 – Dr. Steve Rerych, Columbia University 1969
1994 – Jim Veres
1993 – Dr. John Crecine, University of Michigan 1962
1992 – Robert Helmick, Drake University 1957
1991 – Frank McKinney, Indiana University 1961
1990 – ‘Tiger’ Holmes, University of Florida 1948
1989 – Charles Keating, University of Cincinnati 1966
1988 – William Simon, Lafayette College 1952
1987 – Dave McCampbell, U.S. Naval Academy 1933
1986 – Paul (Buddy) Bacha, Army West Point 1965
1985 – Hal Henning, North Central College 1941
1984 – Alvin Benedict, Rutgers University 1948
About the CSCAA
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) – the first organization of college coaches in America – is a professional organization of college swimming and diving coaches dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming & diving at the collegiate level.
