COACHING STAFF

Alabama swimming and diving head coach Margo Geer announced the addition of Andrew Hodgson on May 30, 2023. Hodgson joins the program with over 10 years of coaching experience. 

“We are very excited to welcome Andy and his wife Alison to Tuscaloosa," head coach Margo Geer said. "Andy stood out in our search as someone with great character, enthusiasm and passion for leading others. He is forward thinking in his approaches to coaching and recruiting, and he brings great experience at the NCAA and international levels. We are looking forward to sharing the deck with him.” 

“I am ecstatic to be joining Alabama swimming and diving," Hodgson said."The chance to be immersed in an elite championship culture at one of the most legendary universities in all of sports is something I am thrilled about. I want to thank Margo for providing me with this opportunity and I can't wait to give everything I have for the Crimson Tide. Roll Tide!”

Northwestern (2018-23)

• Spent the last five seasons at Northwestern as an assistant coach from 2018-20 and an associate head coach from 2020-23
• During his time with the Wildcats, Northwestern set a school record in every female event on its way to a total of 26 schools records across his five years
• Led the program in student-athlete recruitment and helped facilitate nationally ranked recruiting classes between 2019-23
• He also helped coach the Wildcats’ women’s team to a team-high ranking of No. 16

Virginia Tech (2016-18)

• Served as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech
• Directly involved in the team’s nationally ranked recruiting classes in 2017 and 2018
• Worked with the upper yardage primary group, helping to set 13 program records and mentor 19 All-American swimmers over the course of his tenure

New Trier Swim Club (2011-16)

• Worked his way from an assistant coach with New Trier Swim Club (2011-13) to a head coach (2013-16)
• Coached several U.S. Junior National Team members during his tenure
• Led the team to a top-10 finish at the NCSA Junior Nationals 

Personal Information

• He got his start in the field as a student assistant coach for Florida State (2010-11)
• Graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise science in 2013 from Florida State before getting a certificate in coaching and leadership from Kellogg School of Management in 2019
• Was a five-time NCAA All-American, a two-time ACC champion in the 200 backstroke and broke an ACC and FSU record
• His time of 1:41.11 in the 200 back as a senior in the NCAA Championships broke the school and conference record

Alabama head swimming and diving coach Margo Geer announced the hiring of Michael White as an assistant coach on June 30, 2023.

“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.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the Alabama swimming and diving staff,” White said. “I can’t thank Coach Margo enough for giving me this opportunity. This University is special in that excellence is not only the goal, but the expectation. So for me, getting the chance to have an impact on these student-athletes is a real honor. I can’t wait to get to Tuscaloosa and get to work. Roll Tide!”

Wisconsin (2022-23)

• Was a volunteer assistant coach
• Helped lead the women’s team to its best NCAA finish since 2017 and the men’s team to a program-best point total at the Big Ten Championships
• Badgers recorded 40 Big Ten podium finishes, had 12 individual NCAA qualifiers and set two school records
• Primarily focused on sprint freestyle, breaststroke and distance groups
• Helped the Badgers earn 13 All-America honors, four individual Big Ten titles and four NCAA top-four event finishes

Madison Aquatic Club (2022-23)

• Assistant senior coach for the team 
• Had seven athletes commit to NCAA Division I programs
• Coached two high school state champions in addition to winning the 2022 Single Age Group State Championship team title and the 2023 WI 11-14 State Championship team title
• Wrote and implemented practices for senior and age-group level athletes

Juniata College (2019-21)

• Volunteer assistant coach
• Helped run all home meets and assisted in three travel competitions
• Assisted in practices, sets and drylands

Personal 

• Seven-time individual Atlantic 10 champion
• Helped pace Bonnies to a 2014 Atlantic 10 Conference team title
• Served as team captain for two years
• Graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a master of business administration and a bachelor’s in marketing

Alabama swimming and diving head coach Margo Geer announced the addition of assistant coach Jake Larson on August 18, 2023. Larson joins the Crimson Tide from Miami University where he coached for four seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in 2022.

"I'm really excited to add Jake to our staff" Geer said. "I think he is a great fit for what we are trying to do here and will be valuable in building relationships and bringing talent to Tuscaloosa. He brings with him a plan for success both in the classroom and in the pool, and knows how to develop student-athletes into the best versions of themselves. We can't wait for him, his wife Rachel and their son James to join us."  

"I am unbelievably thankful to Coach Margo and her staff for the opportunity to join the Alabama family," Larson said. "Alabama has a notoriously high standard of achievement and excellence, and it's an honor to be joining such a historic athletic department. I cannot wait to help contribute to the Crimson Tide's future success! Roll Tide!"

Miami University  (2019-23)

• Promoted to associate head coach in 2022
• International recruiting coordinator and assisted with official and unofficial visits
• Coached the middle distance stroke and individual medal groups for his first four years and was the sole oversight for all distance training last season
• Helped lead Miami to four men's Mid-American Conference Championship titles (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Coached 27 individual MAC champions, including the 2019 men's MAC Swimmer of the Year
• Saw the RedHawks set a total of 46 men's and women's school records and 11 men's and women's MAC conference records  

St. Cloud State University (2016-18)

• Assisted in coaching 10 swimmers to the NCAA Division II Championships and helped break nine school records
• The St. Cloud women won the 2017 Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference championship
• Worked with sprint group

Wisconsin-La Crosse (2014-16)

• Administered all workouts, strength training and dryland for the distance group
• Had 35 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) all-conference honorees and 11 NCAA Division III qualifiers at Wisconsin-La Crosse
• The Wisconsin-LaCross women won the 2015 and 2016 WIAC conference championship

Additional Coaching Experience 

• Camp coach at the Stanford University and Nike Sports Camps (2015, 2016)

Richard Salhus joined the Alabama coaching staff as an assistant swimming coach in September of 2023. 

"I am excited for Rich, his wife Mary and his two sons, Liam and Oliver, to be a part of the Crimson Tide," Margo Geer said. "Rich brings tremendous insight from his years of experience coaching at the collegiate and club levels, and great enthusiasm for developing student-athletes in all facets of life. Our team will benefit from Rich and all he brings both as a coach and as a person."

"I want to express my gratitude to head coach Margo Geer for the incredible opportunity to be a part of the Crimson Tide family," Salhus said. "It is an honor to join such a remarkable team while representing a university that provides all the necessary resources to pursue championships. I am excited to share the pool deck with an outstanding staff and build great relationships with our student-athletes to help and support them in seeking excellence. Roll Tide!"

LSU (2022-23)

• Assist coach for the Tigers for one season
• Helped coach the women’s team to its highest finish in 30 years at the NCAA Championships, placing 13^th-overall
• The men’s team tallied six All-American honors at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships as the team placed 16^th at the meet

Army West Point (2019-22)

• Served as an assistant coach for three seasons
• Coached the middle distance and distance swimmer
• Directly coached Patriot League Champion and school record holder in the mile
• The Black Knights recorded 17 Patriot League champions, set 12 school records and recorded five All-Conference honors

Iowa (2016-19)

• Served as an assistant coach for the team and the men’s international recruiting coordinator
• Oversaw training for sprint group in addition to butterfly, backstroke and middle distance
• Had nine athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships in addition to two relay teams posting NCAA “A” standard times
• Over his three years, the team broke 30 school records and had record over 120 changes to the Hawkeyes’ all-time top-10 list
• Handled meet entries, roster management, scheduling and programming practices

Iowa Flyers Swim Club (2012-16)

• Served as an assistant coach with the Iowa Flyers for four seasons, before being named head coach in March of 2016
• Coached three athletes to the 2016 Olympic Trials, including the fourth-place place finisher in the 200 butterfly
• Had an athlete named to 2016 USA Junior Pan Pacific Championship Team

Other Coaching Experience

• National Junior Team Coach in 2016
• Coached at the 2014 National Select Camp
• 2015 Central Zone Select Camp assistant coach
• Coached multiple winter and summer Junior National medalists.

Professional Career

• Salhus was a South African Junior National qualifier, winning numerous medals, including the gold in the 50 free and 50 fly. 
• Was also a member of the South African Junior Squad and qualified for multiple South African Senior Nationals and Olympic Trials
• Finalist in the 200 free and 50 fly and a gold medalist in the 400-free and 800-free relays
• Competed for Jon Rudd under Plymouth Leander in the United Kingdom where he held various records in Devon County
• Went on to win silver in the 17/18-year-old 50 free and bronze in the 800-free relay at the British Youth Championships and he also competed in the Great Britain Open Championships, where he was a finalist in the men's 50 fly and semifinalist in men's 50 free

Personal Information

• From Johannesburg, South Africa, native
• Four-year Iowa letterwinner, competing from 2007-11
• He earned Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors in 2008
• ASCA Level 4 certified, graduated from the University of Iowa in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in health science with a minor health and sports studies
• Married to Mary Salhus
• Has two sons, Liam and Oliver