Staciana Winfield, a 2000 U.S. Olympic gold medalist and four-time Pan Am Games gold medalist, was named an assistant swimming coach at USC, Trojan men's and women's swimming head coach Dave Salo announced on Monday.

"Staciana has an infectious enthusiasm that I know will rub off on this team," Salo said. "I expect her to have a great impact on USC swimming."

Said Winfield: "I am extremely excited for the opportunity to coach at USC and for the chance to represent Trojan athletics. I hope to help create a positive and winning environment."

Winfield, whose maiden name is Stitts, was an assistant coach at the College of Charleston in 2005-2006, helping the men's and women's team post a school-record 18 point scorers at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships.

One of America's top breaststrokers from 1998 to 2004, Winfield's resume is topped by her 2000 Olympic gold medal, which she earned swimming the breaststroke leg in the prelims of the 400-meter medley relay in Sydney, Australia.

She won a pair of 100m breaststroke titles at the 1999 and 2003 Pan Am Games and swam the breaststroke leg on U.S.-winning 400m medley relays as well. She is also a three-time Goodwill Games medalist, a 2002 World Championships finalist (100m breast) and a 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials two-time finalist (100m and 200m breast).

Winfield, 24, earned multiple All-American honors as a four-year star at California, where she was a four-time NCAA individual finalist and was part of Cal's 2000 NCAA-title-winning 200m medley relay. She was also a three-time Pac-10 All-Academic first team selection.

Winfield, from Encinitas, Calif., and a graduate of Carlsbad (Calif.) High, was a junior national champion in 1997 and the California High School state champion in 1998 in both the 100y and 200y breast.

Winfield also swam for and worked with Salo at Irvine Novaquatics, one of the top club teams in the country.