The Gators swimming and diving program announced Wednesday that famed swimmer Katie Ledecky would join its coaching staff. Ledecky will act as a volunteer swimming coach while training with head coach Anthony Nesty for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Ledecky, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, spent the last five years training and earning her education at Stanford, where she won an unprecedented eight NCAA championships and broke countless school, NCAA and American records.
“Stanford has been my second home for the past five years. It will always have a special place in my heart,” Ledecky said on Twitter. “Having completed my college career this year, I am moving east to be closer to home and family."
Nesty tweeted about Ledecky joining his staff, saying “We are very excited to have Katie here with us! Let's get to work!”
Ledecky, a Washington, D.C., native, most recently brought home a pair of gold and silver medals each from the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, held this summer. These accolades are the latest in the long list of 10 Olympic medals, the fifth-most in history and the second-most of any woman, and 15 world championships, four more than any other female swimmer and third-most all-time. Her many achievements give Ledecky one of the most impressive resumes in the history of the sport.
Now, the 24-year-old swimming icon will continue her career under Nesty and the rest of the Gators swimming staff.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the next phase of my swimming career,” Ledecky said. Certainly up the challenge, Ledecky will look to make a strong statement at the Paris Olympics in 2024, potentially her fourth Games.
Contact Jackson Castellano at jcastellano@alligator.org. Find him on Twitter @jaxacastellano.
Jackson Castellano is a third-year sports media journalism student and the Digital Managing Editor at The Alligator for Spring 2024. In the past, he's served as the Sports Editor, Assistant Sports Editor and a Sports Reporter covering Football, Men's basketball and Baseball.
