On Tuesday afternoon, Boston College athletic director Blake James announced that the university is hiring 12-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres to be the next head Swimming & Diving coach at BC.
I am thrilled to welcome @DaraTorres to the @BCEagles family. We are elevating the Heights to new heights. #BCSwimming pic.twitter.com/WnvpAzbOCr
— Blake James (@BCBlakeJames) June 18, 2024
Torres is a superstar in the swimming community, having represented the United States in five different Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008) and winning four gold, four silver, and four bronze medals in a variety of races. She set her first world record at the age of 15, won her first Olympic gold medal at age 17, and in 2008 she was the oldest swimmer ever to make an Olympic team as a 41-year-old. She’s also done a lot of work for charity, including raising money for cancer research with Swim Across America. She is obviously one of the most incredible athletes to ever participate in the sport, and now she is bringing her lifetime of experience to the Heights.
Torres hasn’t been a swimming coach before at the collegiate level, but her breadth of experience still makes her one of the most qualified candidates possible for this job. BC AD Blake James has out-done himself again, attracting a top-tier coaching candidate to BC just like he did with Bill O’Brien and the football vacancy earlier this year.
Torres’s hiring is also incredibly important for the culture of the swimming & diving program, which was suspended in the 2023-24 season due to “a September hazing incident, recurring issues with the program, and a team culture that conflicts with University expectations of its student-athletes.” The new head coach of the team will have an opportunity to build the program from the bottom-up, which is surely an enticing prospect for such a legend.
Welcome to the Heights, Dara!