Former Tennessee men’s swimming interim head coach Lars Jorgensen will stay in the SEC, and has been hired as the new associate head coach for the University of Kentucky.
Jorgensen was the man appointed to take over the reigns of an embattled Tennessee team last season that had to deal with both the suspension of their best swimmer and the firing of their head coach mid-season.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, where he was for 2 seasons, he served as the head coach at Toledo from 2003 through the 2010 NCAA Championships. That included coaching them to the first ever Mid-American Conference Championship in the 2009-2010 season and scoring at the NCAA Championships.
“I am really excited to join the staff here at Kentucky,” Jorgensen said. “I can’t wait to get in there and start helping Kentucky reach the highest level. I am just so excited to be here and work with a great staff. I look forward to getting right to work and getting a jump start on the upcoming season.”
Current Kentucky head coach Gary Conelly has been at the helm of the Wildcats for 21 years. Conelly is an Olympic swimmer and former World Record holder as part of a 400 free relay, but that was 40-years ago in 1972. This could be a great opportunity for Jorgensen, as he would presumably be the top candidate to take over when Conelly decides to retire.
He will take the position vacated by veteran assistant John Brucato, who left in May to take over the new program at Bellarmine.