USA Swimming continued its leadership makeover with a major move, tabbing Stanford women’s coach Greg Meehan to be its next national team managing director. In that role, Meehan will be the staff member most directly responsible for the U.S.’s in-pool performance in international competition.
The hiring of Meehan should help calm the waters and fill a leadership void as USA Swimming continues its search for a new CEO. The organization announced Delaware athletic director Chrissi Rawak for that role in February, then abruptly rescinded the offer after a SafeSport claim was filed against Rawak pertaining to her days as an assistant swim coach at Michigan in the 1990s.
As the quest continues for an overall organizational leader, Meehan gives USA Swimming a prominent name in a prominent role tied directly to competitive performance. He was the U.S. head women’s coach for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and had assistant coach roles in both the ‘16 and ’24 Games.
The 49-year-old Meehan sent six Stanford swimmers to the Olympics and ten to the World Championships in his tenure at the school. He is the only American coach who trained an individual gold medalist in each of the last three Olympics: Maya DiRado and Simone Manuel in 2016; Katie Ledecky in ’21; and Torri Huske in ’24.
Meehan's hiring marks a return to coach-based leadership after previous managing director Lindsay Mintenko came from an administrative role. Meehan will oversee all aspects of USA Swimming’s National Team program. He will lead the National Team at international competitions, focusing on the Olympic Games, World Championships, and Pan Pacific Championships.
“Greg’s ability to connect with and elevate his athletes is remarkable,” said Natalie Coughlin, three-time Olympian, 12-time Olympic medalist and USA Swimming Board Chair-Elect. “He not only understands the preparation and mindset required to perform at the highest level, but he also brings a clear vision for athlete development, performance strategy, and team culture. His leadership will be pivotal as USA Swimming continues to prioritize excellence.”
The addition of Meehan should bolster the U.S.’s Olympic hopes heading out of a middling performance in Paris last year, and into a home-soil Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
“The Olympic movement has always been a big part of my life,” Meehan says. “I can still remember being glued to the TV as a kid watching the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles—Carl Lewis, Rowdy Gaines, Mary Lou Retton. My love affair with the Olympics, and in particular USA Swimming, only grew from there. After 27 years of coaching, I’m still drawn to the magical moments that inevitably happen at every Olympics. It’s why now is the right time to step into this new role and help USA Swimming athletes inspire the next generation.”
The United States won more swimming medals in Paris than any other country (28) and more golds (eight), but those numbers fall short of what have become standard American Olympic performances. It was the fewest U.S. swimming golds since 1988 and fewest total medals since 2004, and there are three more events in the Olympic program now than there were then. The American men did not win an individual gold until the final event of the Games when Bobby Finke captured the 1,500-meter freestyle. That followed a dismal American performance at the 2023 world championships, where Australia won the gold-medal count 13–7.
Meanwhile, results at the last two NCAA men’s swimming championships further underscore the challenge for the U.S. in that gender—15 out of 28 individual races in those championships were won by foreign athletes who compete against America in international competition.
As much as anybody, Meehan will be counted on to reverse that trend and make sure the U.S. is strong in the pool in the coming years.
“I can’t wait to get to Colorado Springs and help our country’s best athletes and coaches,” Meehan said. “While we’ll have lots of short-term and long-term goals for the national team, two are front of mind: we want to win our home games in L.A. ’28, and we want to foster a team-first culture focused on performance.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as USA Swimming Hires Stanford Coach Greg Meehan as New National Team Managing Director.
