UVA Swimming: Todd DeSorbo hires Gary Taylor to coaching staff

Todd DeSorbo announced on Tuesday the addition of one of his former colleagues at NC State, Gary Taylor, to his staff at UVA.

DeSorbo, whose women’s swimming and diving team has won four straight national titles, worked at NC State with Taylor for six seasons before taking the head coaching job at Virginia in 2017.

Taylor was the head coach of the Auburn swimming and diving program from 2018-2021, and for the past three years was the head coach of the Cavalier Aquatics program, which was launched in 2020 after a merger between the Charlottesville YMCA Aquatics Club and UVA’s USA Swimming team.

“I have known Gary for over 10 years and worked alongside him for five years while we were both at NC State,” said DeSorbo, who will serve as the head coach of the U.S. Olympics women’s swim team this summer in Paris. “He’s a fantastic coach with great vision, but an even better person and friend. I’ve been fortunate to also work alongside him the past three years as he’s led our local Club Cavalier Aquatics to new heights and many successes. He’s coached athletes to the Olympics, World Championships, he’s coached NCAA champions, and he’s also coached nine-and-ten-year-old age group swimmers. He knows how to push athletes to be their best and how to relate and make the sport fun at all levels. I’m excited to have him joining our staff and looking forward to our program continuing to advance with the addition of Gary.”

Prior to joining the NC State staff, Taylor spent four years as the distance coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida State.

Taylor was a former student-athlete at the University of Minnesota and was a member of the 1998 Big Ten Championship swimming team.

He graduated from Minnesota in 2001 with a degree in sport management.

“I am honored to have this coaching opportunity with UVA swimming and diving,” Taylor said. “Todd and his staff have done phenomenal work in setting a culture of high expectations and performances both in and out of the pool.  UVA swimming and diving has a long, illustrious history and during his time in Charlottesville, Coach DeSorbo has set a standard measured in NCAA and Olympic successes. I am extremely excited to work alongside Todd again and look forward to a bright future.”