Ozzie Quevedo Hired to Lead SMU Women’s Swimming Program

2/24/21 MWSD Alabama vs SECChampionships Alabama Interim Head Coach Ozzie Quevedo Photo by Jeff Hanson

Photo Courtesy: Jeff Hanson / Alabama Athletics

Ozzie Quevedo Hired to Lead SMU Women’s Swimming Program

Ozzie Quevedo was hired on Monday as the head women’s swimming coach at SMU. Quevedo has previously served as the associate head coach at Alabama.

Quevedo joined Alabama in June 2019. He served as the school’s interim head coach from Dec. 2020 through May 2021, at which point Margo Geer was hired. Geer retained Quevedo, elevating him to senior associate coach in July 2022.

Quevedo steps into the shoes of Steve Collins, who retired after 37 years at the helm this spring.

“For 37 years, Steve Collins led this program with integrity, competed for championships and built a solid foundation for success. I want to thank him for his dedication and for setting a bar of undisputed excellence,” Quevedo said in a university statement. “I am excited to lead this program moving forward and build upon what has been done with hopes to reach even greater heights. The Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center, Barr-McMillion Natatorium and Holt Hickman Outdoor Pool make up one of the best swimming facilities in the nation and we are blessed to have these world-class resources to develop current and future Mustang swimmers. As I leave Tuscaloosa, I want to thank Greg Byrne (Alabama A.D.), our sport administrators – Dr. Karin Lee, Tiffini Grimes and Marie Robinson, as well as Coach Margo Geer, our entire coaching and support staff and every student-athlete I had the humbling opportunity to coach at Alabama over the past four incredible seasons.

Quevedo helped Alabama’s men’s and women’s team both post top-20 finishes at NCAAs, in 19th and 14th place, respectively. Alabama’s women’s team was fourth at NCAAs in 2022, the highest placement in program history. The had been fifth the previous year with Quevedo as the interim coach, then the best result in school history. It included a win in the women’s 400 free relay.

Quevedo also coached on the U.S. national team, as an assistant to the 2021 FINA World Short-Course Championships in Abu Dhabi.

In the pool, Quevedo represented Venezuela at the 2000 Olympics, swimming the 100 butterfly and 400 freestyle relay. He won a pair of relay medals at the Pan Am Games, in 1999 and 2003. He was a six-time All-American and five-time SEC Champion at Auburn, winning a team title with the Tigers. He won an NCAA championship on the 200 free relay in 2000.

Quevedo coached at National Training Center Aquatics in Clermont, Fla., before jumping into the college ranks. He was an assistant at Auburn from 2013-16 and at Florida State from 2017-19. He also was the head coach for Suriname at the 2016 Olympics.

“We are delighted to welcome Ozzie Quevedo, Irene, Victoria, Camilla and Nicholas to the Hilltop,” SMU athletic director Rick Hart said. “Ozzie’s experience as an elite athlete, a coach at some of the top swim programs in the country and his vision for the future of SMU women’s swimming propelled him to the top of our list. He will continue our tradition of excellence established under Steve Collins and win championships with integrity. I’d like to thank the search committee and our swimming alumni for their support during this process.”

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