USC’s Schubert Gets Nod Again

Mark Schubert and the words “Olympic swimming coach” have been synonymous for the last six Olympics.

Athens in 2004 will make it seven.

On Monday, Schubert, of USC, was named the women’s coach for the U.S. Olympic swim team. Veteran coach Eddie Reese of the University of Texas was named men’s coach.

They have a wealth of experience and impressive international resumes. Schubert has placed 28 swimmers on U.S. Olympic teams and Reese has coached 18 Olympians.

From Schubert’s group of 28, there have been 18 gold medals won and seven silver.

“These are two of our premier coaches in the country,” said Chuck Wielgus, USA Swimming executive director, in a statement. “They have a wealth of experience and are perfectly suited to lead our athletes at the 2004 Olympic Games.”

This will be Schubert’s second time as women’s coach. He was the women’s coach at Barcelona in 1992, the men’s coach at Sydney in 2000, and on the coaching staff for four other Olympics.

Schubert was honored and excited about his appointment and the potential makeup of the team. In Sydney, the United States won 33 medals, 14 of them gold.

“I think the Olympic trials will probably be the most exciting Olympic trials ever held,” he said from his office at USC. “Normally about 30% -- I’m hoping maybe more than that -- of the Sydney team will make it again, which will give us great leadership.

“Already we’ve had tremendous talent emerge at the last World Championships and Pan Pacs.”

The Olympic trials will be held in Long Beach, July 7-14, 2004, and Schubert said there would be a post-trials training camp at Palo Alto, and another in Mallorca, Spain, just before Athens.

One of the first names Schubert mentioned was Natalie Coughlin’s.

Coughlin, a junior at California, is the world-record holder in the 100-meter backstroke, the first woman to finish the race in under a minute.

“Everybody is excited about the possibilities there,” said Schubert, who has coached at USC since 1992. “I think she may be the greatest women’s swimmer in history.

“We have a lot of people who are going to get experience this summer at the World Championships [in Barcelona] and at the Pan Am Games.

“At USC, we have Lindsay Benko and Kaitlin Sandeno, who are two top Olympians from 2000. I think we have the potential to have a tremendous squad.”

Then there’s Jenny Thompson, winner of 10 Olympic medals, eight of them gold, who has come out of retirement.

“I watched her at Pan Pacs and let me tell you, she’s really back,” Schubert said. “She’s going to be a factor. She really didn’t swim much last summer, but every time she touched the water, she got better.”