Amanda Beard, who won seven Olympic medal including two golds, has joined the University of Arizona Swimming & Diving staff as an assistant coach.
Beard, a UA alum and school Hall of Fame inductee in 2008, splashed on the national scene in the 1996 Olympics. returns to her alma mater where she was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 2008. In the Atlanta Olympics, Beard won a gold and two silvers. At 14, she became the second-youngest American Olympic medalist.
“This is incredibly exciting and significant for Arizona Swimming & Diving,” UA head coach Augie Busch said in a news release. “Amanda’s legendary athletic career speaks for itself. She is one of the all-time great Wildcats and an all-time great in the sport. I believe she has equal potential in teaching and coaching at this level. We are blessed and thrilled to have her back in Tucson.”
During her time as a Wildcat, won a National Championship in the 200-meter breaststroke, 10 All-America selections, and helped lead a breakthrough 2000 Arizona Women’s team to their first ever Pac-10 Championship, among many other accomplishments.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the University of Arizona Swimming & Diving family,” Beard said in a news release. “It is an honor to be invited back into a program that was home to me and helped me during a very important part of my career. I know the dedication and hard work it takes to achieve success in the pool and I am excited to share my knowledge with the swimmers at Arizona.”