The University of Florida swimming and diving team has announced the addition of associate head coach, Jeff Poppell, to the Gator coaching staff. Florida head coach Gregg Troy announced the addition on Wednesday.
Poppell, who enters his 24th season of coaching this fall, most recently served as the head coach at both Gulliver Preparatory School and Gulliver Swim Club over the past four seasons. Prior to his arrival, he was the women’s head coach at the University of Arkansas for six years, and a member of The Bolles School and Bolles School Sharks for 13 seasons.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have Jeff joining our staff this fall,” said Troy. “He brings a wealth of knowledge across the spectrum and he’s excelled at all levels whether it has been as a club coach at Bolles and Gulliver, or as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference at Arkansas. His knowledge of the sport is tremendous and we’re excited to add him to our staff.”
Troy added.
“I’ve known Jeff a long time and I have no doubt he’ll be a tremendous fit. He’s a winner, with experience at winning programs, and he came up from grass roots. He’s got a fantastic personality that I know our student-athletes will feed off of. Collectively, he’s the type of coach we were looking for and we’re happy to have him with us.”
A veteran to the sport, Poppell got his foot in the door with The Bolles School Sharks in 1993 under Troy. Though it’s been a few years since the two have worked side-by-side, it’s an opportunity Poppell looks forward to.
“I’m truly honored to have been named the associate head coach at the University of Florida,” Poppell said. “I look forward to returning to the Southeastern Conference and the NCAA swimming and diving landscape.
“I would like to thank Coach Troy, and University of Florida Athletics Director, Jeremy Foley, for giving me the opportunity to join Gator Nation.
“I have the upmost respect and admiration for Coach Troy, his coaching staff, and their exceptional tradition for academic and athletic excellence which has remained persistent at UF for so many years.”During his time at Arkansas, Poppell coached 16 athletes to the NCAA Championships and helped 10 women earn NCAA All-America honors. The Razorback’s fifth-place team finish at the 2009 SEC Championships was the highest finish in program history.
Yi-Ting Siow, a three-time Olympian, became the first Razorback swimmer to earn back-to-back SEC titles in 2009 and 2010 after claiming a pair of top finishes in the 200-yard breaststroke. Her title in 2009 represented the school’s first SEC title in swimming since 1992. She went on to finish fourth in the 200 breaststroke at the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Championships, representing the highest NCAA Championship finish for a swimmer in Razorback history.
In 2009, he took the roll as Head Women's Coach for Team USA at the World Maccabiah Games in Israel. In addition, he was also the USA Swimming National Team’s coach from 2005-08.
Internationally, Poppell coached three swimmers at the 2009 FINA World Swimming Championships in Rome, and two in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, Poppell helped 10 swimmers qualify for the U.S. Trials in Omaha, Neb.
