Columbus, Ohio— Ohio State women’s swimming head coach Bill Dorenkott announced that former NCAA standout Margo Geer has been brought on as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2016-17 season.
“I’d like to give a special thanks to Bill and Jordan for giving me the opportunity to assist with the women’s team,” Geer said of the opportunity. “I am excited to work alongside them and learn from two great coaches. I look forward to connecting with the team and helping them pursue their goals in and out of the pool.”
A native of Milford Center, Ohio, Geer was a three-time NCAA champion at the University of Arizona, winning the 50 and 100 freestyle in 2013 and repeating as 100 free champion in 2014. She left Arizona as a 23-time All-American and held three school records at the time of her graduation: 100 freestyle (46.86) and both the 400 and 800 freestyle relays. She was named the PAC-12’s Woman of the Year in 2015 and finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year.
“To say we are excited about adding Margo to our staff would be an understatement,” said Ohio State head coach Bill Dorenkott. “Margo represents all that is good in our sport. She is a role model for young women based on her successes in the classroom and the pool. She has competed at the highest levels of the sport and will bring her passion for swimming to Ohio State.”
Outside of her collegiate swimming days, Geer competed at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Trials, finishing a career-high seventh in the 50 freestyle in 2012. At the 2015 FINA World Championships she earned a gold medal in the 4 x 100 mixed freestyle relay, a silver in the 4 x 100 mixed medley relay and a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay.
A former coach of Geer’s, two-time USA Olympic Coach and current USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch, had similar sentiments to Coach Dorenkott about his former swimmer.
“She’s been a finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year, multiple time NCAA Champion, team captain, an incredible student, and just a really great person,” Busch said. “I really believe she understands everything about the sport. I think she’s very interested in pursuing coaching and I’m all about young women who are interested in pursuing coaching as a profession. I’m very excited for her. I think they’re getting a wonderful young person who will be a great asset to the program, and I know that Coach Dorenkott is a very good judge of talent.”
With this season’s Scarlet and Gray exhibition meet scheduled for September 30, Geer will see her first action as a coach against other competition on October 7-8 at the Florida Gulf Coast Swimming Classic, an event the Buckeyes won last season.
Ohio State contributed this report.