Dave Durden Name Swimming World’s American Coach of the Year
Sure, the United States has featured more talent in the pool than any other nation in history. Yet, that talent required molding, and the U.S. has long produced legendary coaches, ranging from Robert Kiphuth to Peter Daland to George Haines. One day, Dave Durden will join those aforementioned leaders as a Hall of Famer.
As 2023 winds down, Durden is Swimming World’s honoree as American Coach of the Year. It is an accolade which pays tribute to Durden’s guidance as both a college coach and professional mentor, and which complements his recognition last month at the Golden Goggle Awards. Truly, it was a banner year for the man who was the men’s coach for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics.
In March, Durden led the California Golden Bears to their sixth NCAA men’s team championship since 2011, a 52-point triumph enabling his squad to lift another trophy. The effort marked the 13th consecutive year in which Cal has either captured the NCAA crown or finished as runnerup, a remarkable run that speaks to his program’s power and consistency.
From there, the focus turned to the World Championships in Fukuoka, where Durden’s troops continually flourished. Ryan Murphy secured a gold medal in the 100 backstroke, and added a silver medal in the 200 backstroke. Jack Alexy enjoyed a breakout competition, medaling in both sprint-freestyle events. Meanwhile, Dare Rose was the bronze medalist in the 100 butterfly, and Destin Lasco demonstrated his ability to adapt from a star in the short-course pool to a factor for Team USA in international action.
The punctuation mark of the World Champs, and of Durden’s spectacular year, arrived in the 400 medley relay. As the United States won gold, three of the four legs – Murphy, Rose and Alexy – hailed from Cal and Durden’s arsenal.
Most recently, Durden and Associate Head Coach David Marsh have put together an elite recruiting class for the women’s program at Cal, which is sure to return to chasing NCAA titles. In the meantime, an Olympic year is almost upon us, and through Durden’s mentorship, the campaign figures to have plenty of Cal influence.