Frank Busch
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 4, 1951 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | September 27, 2026 (aged 75) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1969–1973 | Loyola University |
| Positions | Freestyle, Breastroke, Medley Water Polo Team |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1967–1974 | Brookwood Swim Club |
| 1974–1978 | Northern Kentucky Pirhanas |
| 1979–1980 | Cincinnati Marlins |
| 1980–1989 | University of Cincinnati |
| 1989–2011 | University of Arizona Tucson Ford Aquatics |
| 2004, 2008 | US Olympic Coach |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| NCAA Coach of the Year 6 times PAC 10/12 Coach of the Year 11 times USA Swim. Coach of the Year '98 US Olympic Committee Coach of the Year '98 ASCA Hall of Fame 2008 Paragon Award ISHOF 2018[1] | |
Frank Busch (February 4, 1951 – September 27, 2026) was an American collegiate, national and Olympic swimming coach, best known for coaching the University of Arizona from 1989 to 2011. He was a coach for the USA Olympic team in 2004 and 2008.
Biography
[edit]Busch was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on February 4, 1951.
He distinguished himself as a swimmer at an early age, setting Ohio age group records while swimming for the Brookwood Country Club at the age of 12 in 1964, at the Kentucky Open Swim Meet. He again placed first and set national records in the 400 yard freestyle and medley relays while swimming for the Cincinnati Marlins and later the Covington YMCA. He would coach both the Marlins and the Brookwood Swim Clubs in his early coaching years.[2] In 1966, while attending St. Xavier Junior High School he set a record for the 100 yard individual medly of 1:03.[3][4][5] He graduated from Covington Catholic High School, south of Cincinnati, in 1969.[6]
College swimming
[edit]Busch swam and played Water Polo for Loyola University in Chicago from 1969 to 1973. He played on the first Loyola Water Polo Team that made the (NCAA) Championship and became a 2020 inductee to the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame. His 1972 team lost to San Jose State 21-6 and the University of New Mexico (17–12) in the finals.[1]
Early coaching
[edit]Busch began his coaching career at age 16 in Edgewood, Kentucky. After three years in summer league coaching at Brookwood Swim Club while he attended college from 1969 to 1974, and four years of AAU coaching for the Northern Kentucky Piranhas from 1974 to 1978, he joined the staff of the Cincinnati Marlins for the 1979–80 season as the associate head coach. The Marlins won the National Team Championship that season and placed six swimmers on the 1980 United States Olympic Team.[7][better source needed]
College coaching
[edit]From 1980 to 1989, Busch coached at the University of Cincinnati. From 1989 to 2011, he served as the swimming head coach for the Arizona Wildcats at the University of Arizona.[8] His swimmers won 49 NCAA individual titles, 31 NCAA relay titles, and 2 NCAA team championships. While at Arizona, he also led Tucson Ford Aquatics (previously Hillenbrand Aquatics) to several national team championships.[7]
Busch served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.[7] In addition to coaching 12 American Olympians during his tenure at the University of Arizona, Busch coached 22 international Olympians, representing 14 countries.
In May 2011, Busch began serving as USA Swimming's National Team Director, providing the overall vision and leadership for the sport's top coaches and athletes. Under his tenure, USA Swimming won 31 medals at the London Games (2012) and 33 medals at the Rio Games (2016). In both of these Summer Games, USA Swimming's successful campaigns represented 30% of Team USA's total medal count.[9][10] In September 2017, Busch announced his retirement from the director position.[11]
Personal life and death
[edit]Busch was married to Patrice, with whom he had five children. Busch died of a heart attack on September 27, 2026, at the age of 75.[12]
Awards
[edit]During his collegiate coaching career, Busch was named Coach of the Year by the NCAA six times, Pac-10 eleven times, USA Swimming (1998), and the USOC (1998). In 2008, he was inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame, and after retirement in 2018 received the Paragon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[1][11][7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Collegiate Water Polo Association, Frank Busch Played Water Polo at Layola". collegiatewaterpolo.org. Collegiate Water Polo Association. July 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ↑ "Marlin Boys Top Swim Marks", Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, pg. 18, 21 January 1964
- ↑ "St. Xavier Cops Junior High Swim", "The Cincinnati Enquirer", Cincinnati, Ohio, pg. 57, 20 February 1966
- ↑ "Marlins Win Kentucky Open", The Cincinnati Post, Cincinnati, Ohio, pg. 19, 6 January 1964
- ↑ Koch, Bill (March 17, 1987). "Despite disadvantages, UC swimmers are top-notch". The Cincinnati Post. E. W. Scripps Company. p. 4C – via NewsBank.
But Frank Busch, in his seventh season as swimming coach at the University of Cincinnati, doesn't complain about the small Laurence Hall pool he must use. … "We have our work cut out for us right now," said Busch, a graduate of Covington Catholic High School.
- ↑ "What's Happening". Covington Catholic Journal. No. 27. Park Hills, Kentucky: Covington Catholic High School. December 2016. p. 26 – via Issuu.
- 1 2 3 4 "The ASCA Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on June 6, 2012.
- ↑ "GoBEARCATS.COM Former Swimming & Diving Coach Frank Busch Named U.S. National Team Director - University Of Cincinnati Official Athletic Site University Of Cincinnati". www.gobearcats.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Frank Busch Named USA Swimming National Team Director". USA Swimming. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Frank Busch to be named USA Swimming National Team Director; USA Swimming Confirms With Press Release". Swimming World Magazine. February 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
- 1 2 "Team Director Frank Busch Announces Retirement". swimswam.com. SwimSwam. February 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ↑ Hansen, Greg (September 27, 2026). "Former Arizona swim coach Frank Busch dies at 75". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
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