Olympian Annie Lazor joins Florida coaching staff

Olympian Annie Lazor will join the UF swim and dive team coaching staff.
Olympian Annie Lazor will join the UF swim and dive team coaching staff.
Courtesy of UAA

Anthony Nesty, the University of Florida’s men’s and women’s swimming coach, continues to attract some of the top swimmers to Gainesville.

Except this time, the fifth-year coach is adding to his staff.

On Tuesday, Nesty announced that 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Annie Lazor was joining the Florida swimming and diving program as an assistant coach.

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Lazor, who won an Olympic medal in Tokyo, has won six international medals during her professional swimming career.

Her specialty is the breaststroke, achieving one of the top performances all-time in the women’s 200 Breast SCM with a 2:16.33, which ranks top-10 all-time, en route to a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic games.

UF swimming coach Anthony Nesty at pool
Photo by Courtney Culbreath/UAA Anthony Nesty, UF’s men’s and women’s swimming coach, was named the Haines Coach of the Year by the American Swimming Coaches Association.

“I want to thank Coach Nesty, Mike Spiegler, and the swimming and diving staff for giving me this opportunity to coach at the University of Florida,” said Lazor, who also won three gold medals during the 2019 Pan American championships (100 breast, 200 breast, 400 medley relay), in a press release. “This historic program continues to push the boundaries of greatness both at the NCAA and international level of the sport, and I cannot wait to work with and learn from high achieving athletes and coaches on a day-to-day basis. I can’t think of a better way to make my transition from one side of the pool deck to the other.”

Nesty is building a swimming juggernaut at UF so having someone who has swam competitively at the international level will elevate the program.

“Annie will most certainly enhance our coaching staff as a celebrated Olympian who is extremely enthusiastic and motivated,” said Nesty in a press release. “She has a tremendously infectious positive attitude and our athletes will undoubtedly respond to her. Annie brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to the sport and will contribute to the team immediately upon arrival.  We look forward to having her join the Gators.”

The Beverly Hills, Michigan, native started her collegiate career at Ohio State before transferring to Auburn. She was a four-time NCAA All-American for the Tigers, graduating with a communications degree in 2016.

At 26, Lazor became the oldest American swimmer to qualify for her first Olympic team in 17 years.

She overcame grief for a chance at a gold medal following the passing of her father a couple of months prior due to COVID-19.

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