Auburn and head swimming and diving coach Gary Taylor have mutually agreed to part ways, Auburn Director of Athletics Allen Greene announced Monday. Taylor spent three seasons as the Tigers’ head coach.
“Auburn is appreciative to Gary for his service to the Auburn swimming and diving program,” Greene said. “We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”
A national search for his replacement will begin immediately.
Taylor had been hired at Auburn in April 2018 after the resignation of Brett Hawke. Taylor played a vital part in guiding the NC State men to four-straight Atlantic Coast Conference Championship titles and three consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including top four finishes in from 2016 – 2018. In addition, the Wolfpack women were crowned conference champions in 2017, tabbing its first conference title since 1980. The women’s team also achieved its highest NCAA finish in program history at the time, placing seventh in 2017.
During the 2016-17 season, Gary Taylor coached four athletes to the men’s and women’s NCAA Championships where they earned seven total All-America honors. At the ACC Championships, he led Ipsen to his third-straight title in the 500 free and a runner-up finish in the 1650 free. Adam Linker also tabbed All-ACC honors in the 500 and 1650 free events. On the women’s side, Taylor helped Hannah Moore to All-ACC honors in the 500 free and 400 IM and Rachel Muller to a third place finish in the 1650 free.
Taylor also played a part in the development of recent graduate Christian McCurdy and Justin Ress’s successful rookie season. McCurdy was a three-time ACC Champion and All-American during his career and Ress was named the 2016 ACC Male Freshman of the Year. Ipsen tabbed the mention in 2015, marking the second-straight year a Wolfpack swimmer earned the honor.
On the women’s side Gary Taylor helped the Pack create program history in the 2015-16 season as the team placed second at the ACC Championship and ninth at NCAAs. This marked the highest conference and national finish since 1982. In her first semester with the Wolfpack sophomore Moore earned All-ACC and All-America honors in three events while senior transfer Shelly Craddock earned the first All-America honor of her career as a member of the 12th-place 800 free relay. She also helped the relay squad place second at ACCs. Additionally, Rachel Muller wrapped up the most successful season of her career at NC State as she placed third in the 1650 free at the conference championship and collected four All-America honors from her second trip to NCAAs.
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