Neal Studd

Neal Studd was named the eighth head coach of Florida State’s swimming and diving program on July 20, 2016, bringing with him a substantial coaching résumé. Under his leadership, FSU’s men’s relays became nationally competitive: in the 2019–20 season, four of the five men’s relay teams earned automatic bids to the NCAA Championships, and all five relays placed on the podium at the ACC Championships — a first for the program in over a decade. The program also set school records, garnered All-American honors, and posted high finishes in NCAA meets, helping to elevate the stature of FSU swimming on the national level. Before coming to FSU, Studd built Florida Gulf Coast University’s swimming program from scratch over nine years, leading it to multiple CCSA championships and earning multiple Coach of the Year honors. Prior to that, he coached as an assistant at his alma mater, Florida Atlantic University, and also worked outside of swimming for a time in the finance sector. He has international coaching credentials as well, having coached at the 2012 Olympics and multiple World Championships.