After rumors circulated that Mike Bottom had left Cal-Berkeley to join longtime protoge Gary Hall, Jr. in the Islamorada, Florida, the Race Club ended speculation with an announcement that the decade long UC-Berkeley coach has moved his home base to the Florida Keys on a permanent basis.  Meanwhile, back in Berkeley, Nort Thornton announced his retirement after 33 years at Cal. Meanwhile, in Spain, Bart Kizierowski is reportedly unable to get back into the United States leaving one of the most storied programs in the nation without a paid men's swimming coach.

While Bottom's residency in the Florida Keys has been well known, Thornton's departure was only rumored. When asked on Tuesday if he had indeed retired Thornton told CollegeSwimming.com that aside from Bottom, "There have been no other position changes." 

That might have come before his meeting with Athletic Director Sandy Barbour.  Afterwards an e-mail, reportedly from Thornton was circulated that read,

"I just came away from a meeting with Sandy Barbour, our Athletic Director,  and she has released me from the position of Head Swimming Coach here at  Cal. She intends to go on a full search for a new coach for this Fall. So  that is it, pure and simple.  I want to thank all of you for your part in Cal Swimming and I will miss every one of you."

Thornton is one of the deans of college coaching in the United States. He leaves Cal with a dual-meet record of 231-85 (.731 winning percentage), two NCAA team titles and numerous individual champions, including senior Patrick O'Neil, who won the 200-yard butterfly crown at the 2007 NCAA Championships. Thornton's final team took eighth place at the NCAA Championships last March in Minneapolis, Minn.

Over the years, despite not being fully-funded, Thornton has consistently kept the Bears in the hunt for the national crown. For more than three decades he has cultivated squads that combine some of the top local California talent with national and international blue chippers. Thornton's office is a testimony to his coaching ability with Olympic banners, photos of world record holders, NCAA championship trophies and mementos that span through his long and illustrious career. The veteran coach was honored for all of his accomplishments in May 1995 with his induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

As for Bottom's departure, it allows him to continue coaching a select group of international swimmers in the summers. In the last three Olympics, 50% of the medals (9 of 18) won in the freestyle sprint events (50m and 100m) have been claimed by Bottom’s swimmers from around the world.

“Mike Bottom has been my personal coach for the last 13 years,” said five-time Olympic Gold Medalist and The Race Club founder, Gary Hall. “His unique and innovative approach to coaching sprinters played a huge role in my, and many others’, accomplishments. The Race Club is very fortunate to have someone of Mike’s caliber join our team.”

"Nort Thornton is truly a legend at Cal, where he has had a profound effect on every student-athlete he has coached,"Cal Athletics Director Sandy Barbour said. "His Bears have excelled in the pool and in the classroom, and we are grateful for his tremendous commitment to Cal athletics. We look forward to Nort's continued involvement in Cal swimming and are hoping to identify various initiatives in the department in which he can support our mission."

Could that include staying on as a volunteer assistant?   

While Thornton and Bottom were moving onto greener pastures, Cal's current volunteer assistant, Bart Kizierowski, was in a different position.  According to sources contacted by CollegeSwimming.com, Kizierowski was considered the heir-apparent to the Golden Bear empire.  The current era of immigration reform, however, is making work visas increasingly difficult to obtain and Kizierowski is reportedly unable to re-enter the country right now.  [Kizierowski had not responded to queries from CollegeSwimming.com.]

All this in the year leading up to the Olympics is leaving several Cal swimmers unsure of their training.  While some would prefer to remain with Bottom, those in the country on an F-1 or J-1 student visa will have to find a new school to sponsor their I-20.  That could prove a tall order with classes at most institutions beginning in less than a month.