The University of Alabama has announced the addition of Michael White as the program’s new assistant coach. The announcement brings the Crimson Tide staff back to the same size as it was last season, and comes a few days after the school finalized a three year extension for head coach Margo Geer.
“We are excited to welcome Michael to our coaching staff,” Geer said. “He has a dynamic and energetic personality that will not only fit in with our staff, but will help make our program better. He brings great energy and is both driven and determined in everything he does. He will serve as a great mentor for our student-athletes.”
White, like most of the Alabama staff, is thin on collegiate coaching experience. He spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant at D3 school Juniata College in central Pennsylvania. After that, he spent the 2022-2023 season as an assistant senior coach at the Madison (Wisconsin) Aquatic Club and as a volunteer assistant with the University of Wisconsin.
He helped lead the Wisconsin women to its best NCAA finish since 2017, with the men’s team scoring its most points ever at the Big Ten Championships. Badgers recorded 40 Big Ten podium finishes, had 12 individual NCAA qualifiers and set two school records.
At Wisconsin, he primarily focused on sprint freestyle, breaststroke, and distance groups.
He joins a staff that includes newly-hired associate head coach Andrew Hodgson, who with almost 7 years of full-time collegiate coaching experience is the veteran on deck for Alabama. Led by Geer (2 seasons), the Alabama staff also includes returning associate head coach Reed Fujan (6 years) and returning assistant coach Roman Willets (2 years).
White was a 7-time Atlantic 10 Champion at NCAA D1 school St. Bonaventure University, including helping the team to a 2014 A10 Conference team title. He served as a team captain for two years.
While teams are allowed to have bigger paid coaching staffs this year than in prior years, this hiring refills the Alabama staff to last year’s count after Ozzie Quevedo left to become the head coach at SMU and James Barber left the program.
Hodgson, who was previously at Northwestern, is the other new addition to the staff.
That doesn’t look like the Michael White I know
Bama got a good one with Mike, high character individual that will relate well to the athletes and get the most out of them.
Big congrats to Michael!! I have known him for years and even swam with him when I was training with Arizona Gold. He was great to have in practice because he worked his butt off but also was able to keep things light, not really that easy. He was a great mentor to those around him.
I am sure that this is a great hire and the team should know that got a great coach and person.
Good luck man!!
” …. like most of the coaching staff, thin on collegiate coaching experience.”
This actually could be a very wise decision by Margo – going with a staff of similar (or less) experience than her own. While it could be advantageous to hire more experienced staff to counterbalance her own experience level, the reality at Bama might be that it’s time for her to chart the course, unimpeded by staff resistance (or recent events). Time for some fresh air.
Her recent contract extension says the school believes in her. And the experienced staff have all left. So now it’s hers to sink or swim. Pun intended – but true!
I don’t think they even posted this position externally and this is where they end up? Usually that is how head coaches handle hirings when they know they will get a ton of interest even w/o posting, like the 2 openings at Cal now.
How do you know James Barber was fired?
Because he was
And you were probably one of the transfers.
I agree, that raised my eyebrows…
James had been looking to leave for a few years…loved the team but wanted out.
LMFAO