NBAC’s Matt McLean Returning to Coach Mark Bernardino in South Carolina (Photo Gallery)

Photo Courtesy: David Farr

COLUMBIA, South Carolina, October 2. Another top-flight swimmer has decided to leave North Baltimore as Olympic gold medalist Matt McLean has moved to Columbia, S.C., to train with former coach Mark Bernardino at the University of South Carolina.

“I’m very pleased to announced that I’m returning to swim from Coach Bernardino,” McLean told Swimming World. “He has been an incredible coach and mentor for me for much of my career. I look forward to moving forward with him during the second half of this quad. I’m thankful for the opportunities I was afforded at North Baltimore, and look forward to taking the skills and knowledge that I gained at North Baltimore, and applying them to the rest of my career.”

Bernardino, the Associate Head Coach at USC, coached McLean to his Olympic gold medal while the two were together at the University of Virginia before Bernardino left the Cavaliers as part of an official retirement with the school that had some controversy behind it.

Shortly after Bernardino left Virginia, McLean moved up to Baltimore to train with what quickly became a super group of swimmers under head coach Bob Bowman at North Baltimore. This is the latest in several of the NBAC defections since the close of the long course championship season, including Yannick Agnel.

Swimming World also asked for comment regarding McLean’s former training-partner Michael Phelps’ DUI that has burned through the swimming community like a wildfire in the past few days. But, as expected, McLean declined to comment.

McLean now has his sights set on the 2014 World Short Course Championships this winter, having just been named to the roster today, after winning a gold medal as part of the 800 free relay at the Pan Pacific Championships in Australia.

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