January 20, 2026 — The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) proudly announces that Eddie Reese has been selected as the recipient of the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by the association. Reese, who retired from coaching in 2024, was chosen by the CSCAA Executive Board from an exceptional group of nominees in recognition of a career that reshaped collegiate swimming and diving and left an enduring legacy on the sport.
A Florida native and former standout swimmer at the University of Florida, Reese dedicated his life to swimming — first as a student-athlete and ultimately as one of the most influential coaches in the history of collegiate athletics. Over the course of more than 45 seasons at the University of Texas, Reese built one of the most dominant and respected programs the sport has ever known.
Under his leadership, the Longhorns captured 15 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving National Championships and more than 40 conference titles, establishing Texas as a perennial standard-bearer in collegiate swimming. Remarkably, Reese became the only coach in NCAA swimming history to win a national championship in five different decades, a distinction that underscores both the longevity and sustained excellence of his career.
Throughout his tenure, Reese coached hundreds of All-Americans and guided more than 40 Olympians who went on to win over 50 Olympic medals, including numerous gold medals. His influence extended far beyond championship results, as he mentored generations of swimmers who competed on the world’s biggest stages and developed countless coaches who now lead programs across the collegiate and international landscape.
Beyond the accolades, Reese’s legacy is defined by his leadership, mentorship, and humanity. Revered by athletes and colleagues alike, he cultivated environments rooted in trust, accountability, and care — developing not only elite competitors, but leaders whose impact continues well beyond the pool deck.
“There are simply not enough words to capture the impact Eddie Reese has had on our sport,” said Samantha Barany, Executive Director of the CSCAA. “His accomplishments speak for themselves, but it is his approach, his demeanor, loyalty, and kindness that have left a lasting mark on collegiate swimming and diving. Our sport is better because of the time Eddie dedicated to it. On behalf of the CSCAA membership, we are honored and proud to celebrate a legacy that makes him the clear and deserving choice for this recognition.”
The CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose careers reflect sustained excellence, leadership, and a profound commitment to advancing collegiate swimming and diving. Reese’s body of work — as a coach, mentor, and steward of the sport, embodies those values in every respect.
Reese will be formally recognized on May 4 in Chicago as part of the CSCAA Awards Celebration, where the association will honor a distinguished class of individuals whose contributions have shaped the past, present, and future of collegiate swimming and diving.
Additional details regarding the awards celebration will be shared in the coming weeks.
Previous Winners
2025 – Anne Goodman James, Colorado College
2024 – Dennis Dale, University of Minnesota
2023 – Jack Bauerle – University of Georgia
2022 – Terry Ganley, University of Minnesota
2020 – Rick Walker, Southern Illinois
2019 – Nancy Bigelow, Tufts University
2018 – John Patnott, Hope College & Jon Lederhouse, Wheaton College
2017 – Bev Ball, McMurray University
2016 – George Kennedy, Johns Hopkins
2014 – Jon Urbanchek, Michigan
2013 – Skip Kenney, Stanford
2012 – Jim Steen, Kenyon College
2011 – Susan Teeter, Princeton
2010 – Nort Thornton, California & Peter Daland, Southern California
2009 – Richard Quick, Auburn
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.
