LSU Swimming...Is this the worst performing sport for LSU currently?

The swimming facilities are garbage.

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Is this the worst performing sport for LSU currently? Crazy to me when there are elite kids at Catholic & Parkview every year. I know its not a hot button issue but LSU is awful for some reason. Anyone know this coach?

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There are no elite Programs in Louisiana at the high school level right now. There were a when COSST and Crawfish were at their peak, but they aren’t the programs they have been in the past.

LSU Swimming is a result of both a terrible high school/under 18 development program and terrible facilities statewide as well as on campus.

That being said, LSU does have things going for it. They have the best diver in the SEC, he has already won the 1 meter. And they have likely the best sprinter in the SEC as well in Brooks Curry. Brooks is a Sophomore, who was the SEC champion in the 100 meter freestyle. This year he will could repeat in the 100, but also has a shot at winning the 50 and 200 yard freestyle.


Edit: I should say there are a few programs and clubs within Louisiana that are doing a great job and trying to be elite. But honestly, they have their work cut out for them based on how the state has invested in the sport and how the high school season is set up. Basically they are really at a disadvantage when compared to other states. Especially your power house states like Texas, California, Georgia, and Florida.

I know nothing about swimming.

I will say that LSU probably doesn’t care to hire anyone good because it costs the school money. The program is in the red and always will be (which is expected).

Look at women’s basketball for example. Do you think LSU is going to invest in a top tier women’s coach when there is barely any support and the program is in red at all times?

Looks like people are starting to put focus in an area where LSU must make changes.

First, we must establish facts. Go see Coach Geyer's record.
We will find consistency. Dave Geyer has been coaching at LSU as assistant HC since 2006-2010, then hired as Head Coach of LSU Swimming and Diving in 2011. That is a long time. LSU Mens & Women Swimming & Diving places in SEC either in LAST Place or very near last place EVERY YEAR for 10 years!! That is a fact you can go look up. He is NOT the diving coach. Take diving out of the equation and both Men and Women Swimming come in at an overall LAST Place for 10 straight years!! Talk about being consistent, and a fact that you can look up. Compare his program to ALL other SEC schools. Since when was Last place the standard in LSU Sports.
The Very Highest % of swimmers "academically" across college campus' in the country have high APR scores at their schools. Usually a coach can hang his hat on how well his athletes perform in school. I just checked on LSU's swimmers and Notice the "dip" there. Coach Geyer is near Last in the SEC in that department as well.
What I cant understand is how these facts have not stood out to Athletic Director Scott Woodward?? Louisiana needs your attention on the Swimming and Diving situation. If LSU gets a good leader we will see change. We will see a winning attitude and that is when people will want to give. Leaders find a way to raise money and are get the support they need. Start with the last 15 years of kids you just coached. We will see better facilities as cringe when I here that excuse about facilities being the problem. Again, go see DD Breaux where she started and see the Gymnastics program in last 10 years. TOP NOTCH in Country! See that Fact. If coming in Last consistently year in year out is acceptable to LSU and Mr. Woodward then keep Geyer. However, I think our Athletic Director is a smart man and the money line is that Dave Geyer's hours and days are numbered at LSU.

I see great opportunity for a NEW Head Coach at LSU. start from the bottom and build up. Facts are so compelling and clear. Dave Geyer needs to GO!

I’m not trying to be a troll or anything...I’m really curious...what is the average salary of a college swimming coach?

Most of the club teams from when I was going through don’t even exist anymore, and I’m not that old (31)

There are some teams that are trying, but I think it’s a mix of facilities on campus and a lack of long term club support to develop a lot of local talent that holds LSU back. If you live in NOLA and you want to be serious about swimming, you need to move, which isn’t the case in Texas, Georgia, Florida, California, or even smaller states like Oklahoma.

You also have to keep in mind that while LSU is bad by SEC standards, they’re not a bad team overall. Swimming is a different world from football, where the power 5 distinction doesn’t really matter as much, and a school like Drury can be considered as good as their neighbor Mizzou. LSU still puts together a team that is better than pretty much the entire field on lesser divisions, so the program is doing some of what it needs to be doing, because if it wasn’t, those top D2 and D3 schools would make LSU look bad.

Just my two cents though

Louisiana is one of the worst swimming states in the nation. Also hard to get the top kids in the state when LSU doesn’t put money into their swim program like other SEC schools.

Damn, The Rant is firing swimming coaches now too?

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Is this the worst performing sport for LSU currently? Crazy to me when there are elite kids at Catholic & Parkview every year. I know its not a hot button issue but LSU is awful for some reason. Anyone know this coach?

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Also, to be fair. LSU will finish in the bottom few of the SEC, but when they go to NCAA championship they will finish likely in the 18-25 range, which is a good to great finish for LSU historically. This is because they are not a deep or well rounded team, but the few people they have that are good, are actually really really great. Same thing happens in Track and Field where some teams are set up to perform better at their conference meet and some are set up to perform better at the NCAA championship.

As a lifelong Louisiana swimmer, LSU swimming alum, and parent of a current age group top 16 kid I wholeheartedly agree that with the points that:

Louisiana swimming is and always has been weak. Across the state we have weak club teams and most operate out of poor facilities as well. Outdated outdoor fitness club or country club pools year round doesn’t help to attract kids to enter/stay/grow in the sport. Sure we have a few standouts in Louisiana year in/year out but there’s no depth to competition. Then keeping those kids in state for college is next to impossible once they visit a couple programs in the SEC and see what’s out there. Mississippi & Arkansas are pretty weak swimming states also, and we’re not even pulling any of their age group standouts in here either.

LSU needs to ditch the Nat. Albeit the pool itself is fast (and the diving well is adequate), the building and amenities are horrible. LSU can’t flourish with weak facilities. I can’t think of a div 1 program that does well in sub par facilities. The Nat isn’t on par to host SEC championships much less an age group championship meet. It’s poorly kept (dirty) and not air conditioned. It’s horrible, hot/humid or cold in there 8 months of the year. There’s no spectator gallery. The locker rooms came the year after I finished and they are half assed and poorly kept at best. Last time I was there the door to the little varsity locker room was broken off the hinges... nice look. None of the suit dryers even worked. The facility itself doesn’t just help to recruit athletes, but also helps bring good coaches.

Recruiting. Agree with the above, Dave Geyer is a decent coach. But he’s not the full package. Not a personable guy. And he’s not getting the recruiting job done. Nor is he advocating for the program throughout the state (they didn’t even try to get the 3 recent AU signees, one of which is a freshman now and will likely score at conference). The head coaches in decades prior (Rick, Adam) didn’t do anything to bolster La swimming either. The lack of facilities (a swimmers home for 25-30 hours per week) is unappealing and doesn’t help his ploy in recruiting. Even the solid foreign swimmers are tough to get to LSU.

We were 4th at SEC and 12th national in the mid/late 1990s when I was there. Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee used to spank us. But we could compete with all the others (even Florida) and beat A&M and Missouri before they were SEC. Now we compete to not get last every year. Unless something major changes I can’t see my son going there should his career keep trending the way it is. Some big changes are going to have to start with the AD or the program will continue in mediocrity or fold. All the other SEC schools found a way to get a quality facility that’s viable. But Louisiana has a history of settling for the lowest common denominator so I’m not surprised.