JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman swim coach Paige McCord announced her resignation on Tuesday morning to pursue a job in the private sector and spend more time with her family.
McCord was named the program's first coach in Oct. 2012 and helping build the Eagles' into a nationally-recognized program that has earned two-consecutive berths in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
McCord guided the program for four seasons from its inception through its third year of competition. During her time on the banks of Mossy Creek, the Morristown, Tenn.-native she coached nine All-Americans, 16 Honorable Mention All-American plaudits, two Bluegrass Mountain Conference champions and accumulated 59 All-BMC accolades and numerous academic awards, including the first NCAA Elite 90 Award in Carson-Newman history, given to junior Nancy Claire Smith (Franklin, Tenn.) last week.
"I personally want to thank Paige in her leadership for the past the three years," Carson-Newman Director of Athletics Allen Morgan said. "Beginning a program is a lot more detailed and setting the foundation she set far exceeded my expectations. Being ranked with our men's and women's program in three short years is exemplary and certainly Carson-Newman and I will forever be indebted to her hard work."
This season, the program produced six All-American plaudits awarded to four swimmers, seven Eagles who accumulated 20 Honorable Mention All-American plaudits and the women's team finished 16th in the nation at the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. At the BMC Championships, the two programs combined to take home 23 All-BMC awards. During the regular season, the women's program extended its match winning streak to 10 and finished the year 5-0.
Year two of the Carson-Newman swim program was more successful than anyone could fathom. Nine Eagles were invited to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis; five of the nine swimmers left the Championships with All-American honors and all nine were named Honorable Mention All-Americans. The Eagles finished the dual meets undefeated with a record of 5-0. Through the duration of the season, school records in 33 events were set at least once. The women's team finished 15th in the nation, while the men finished the year in 18th according to the CSCAA pool. In total, McCord's Eagles accumulated 33 All-Conference titles by 11 athletes, five All-Americans and four Honorable Mention All-Americans. Ten of McCord's Eagles garnered Eagle Scholar awards in the classroom.
During the program's inaugural season, McCord coached two All-BMC student-athletes, had three swimmers garner BMC Scholar Athlete honors and one Eagle was named a CSCAA Academic Honorable Mention All-American for his performance in and out of the water.
Assistant coach Jordan Taylor will serve as the program's interim coach while Carson-Newman Director of Athletics Allen Morgan begins a national search to finds McCord's replacement.
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