Former Brown Coach Passes Away

Former Brown head and Georgia swimming assistant coach Gary Binfield passed away suddenly on Saturday. He was 42.

Binfield was an assistant coach for Georgia from 1991-96, leaving in 1996 to become the head coach at Brown University. Binfield had been a Vice President with Pool Management Group the last several years.

“Gary was quite a young man,” Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said. “He was ultra-successful, extremely talented and hard-working. He left an indelible mark on our program. We were fortunate to have him on our staff.”

"I had the privilege of being Gary's teammate for four years," former Carolina swimmer and assistant coach Wade King said. "I believe Gary was the most talented and versatile swimmer in Carolina history. He was a fierce competitor and great guy. He will be missed."

Binfield competed for the Gamecocks from 1985-89 and swam as part of the Great Britain team at the 1988 Summer Olympics is Seoul, South Korea. At the time of his graduation, he owned four individual school records and was part of two of Carolina's top relay teams. Binfield still ranks among the Gamecock greats as he is the second-best performer in Carolina history in the 200 IM, third-best in the 400 IM, fifth in the 100 backstroke and sixth-best performer in the 200 backstroke. Binfield also ranks as one of the top relay participants in Gamecock history.

Everything he attained came by good, old-fashioned hard work,” Bauerle said.

Binfield is survived by his wife, the former Annika Nilsson, and two children, Hayden and Emmie. Mrs. Binfield was an All-American swimmer for the Lady Bulldogs in the 1990s.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Annika and the children,” Bauerle said. “It’s a tough time for our swimming family. It’s a very, very tough loss.”

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arch Foundation/Swimming and Diving Support Fund and sent to the Bulldog Club at P.O. Box 1472, Athens, Ga., 30603.