Marko Djordjevic has been named the head coach of the University of California San Diego men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, according to Director of Athletics Earl Edwards. Djordjevic becomes the fourth head coach to lead both the men’s and women’s teams during the Division II era, replacing David Marsh, who resigned to pursue other opportunities.
“I am extremely confident that Marko Djordjevic will excel in his role of head coach of the UC San Diego men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams,” said Edwards. “Marko has been crucial in promoting a culture of academic and athletic excellence during his past six years with the swimming and diving program. He helped successfully guide the program from the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC) to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) last season, and we know he will continue to raise the bar as UC San Diego approaches the move to Division I.”
Djordjevic is coming off of his sixth season with the UC San Diego swimming and diving program. He began his time with the Tritons in 2013-14, when he served in a volunteer capacity. The following year, Djordjevic was named an assistant coach. In June of 2018, Djordjevic was elevated to the role of associate head coach and was tabbed the teams’ recruiting coordinator.
Since Marko Djordjevic began working with the Tritons in 2013, UC San Diego recorded six top-seven team finishes at the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. Additionally, the Tritons won five-consecutive PCSC championships during that period. In the 2018-19 season, UC San Diego took part in its first season in the MPSF, facing NCAA Division I competition.
“I am extremely thankful and humbled to become the head coach of the UC San Diego swimming and diving program,” said Marko Djordjevic. “Moving into my seventh year with the program, I am excited to continue the trajectory of success that has been planned together with Coach Marsh. We will continue to make a successful transition from Division II to Division I and create another distinctive collegiate swimming and diving program in San Diego.
“I want to thank the wonderful staff with the UC San Diego athletics department, Athletics Director Earl Edwards, and, especially, members of the team for being gracious and steady in this coaching transition. The student-athletes are ready to take all the positives and use them as catalysts to propel the team forward in the coming years.”
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Alarmingly high rate of staff turnover and injuries. He brought toxic culture full of backstabbing.
It’s easy to shine when operating from a safe distance—no pressure, no scrutiny and shielded by the Hall of Fame coach David Marsh’s greatness. Yet, once one occupies the pivotal role, the heat of accountability transforms the atmosphere. This is where true character emerges, stripped of pretense and concealed weaknesses.
As the mounting pressure seeps into the fabric of the team, his responses veer towards fear-based coaching. While this tactic might yield short-term results—a burst of energy, a fleeting sense of urgency—it is ultimately a double-edged sword. Fear-driven and misled athletes are rarely at their best; instead, they tend to falter under stress, leading to high staff turnover, increased injuries, missed practices and plummeting morale. The very essence of what makes a team thrive begins to erode, leaving behind a toxic environment where athletes feel expendable, unsupported and depressed.