Auburn Assistant Coach Bill Pilczuk Accepts Position with Wales National Team

AUBURN, Ala, June 26. FORMER Auburn swimming standout and the 1998 World Champion in the 50-meter freestyle, Bill Pilczuk has been appointed to head up Bill Sweetenham's new male freestyle sprint program at the new Wales National pool in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom.

"This is a great opportunity for Bill," AU Coach David Marsh said. "I'm sure he will have a wonderful impact on the national sprint program for Great Britain. Bill is one of the all-time great rags-to-riches stories as a student and athlete during his time at Auburn University. We wish him continued success."

Pilzcuk has worked as an assistant coach and graduate assistant since graduating from Auburn in 1994. While on the coaching staff he has worked primarily with the spring group while also teaching starts and turns technique.

A three-time NCAA All-American, Pilczuk is known around the globe for his stunning upset of Russia's Alexander Popov in the 50m freestyle at the 1998 World Championships, which USA Today called the "Upset of the Decade."

The appointment is the latest step in Sweetenham's plan to re-establish British male freestyle sprinting. After last year's National Short Course Championships, he branded male sprint freestyle programs in Wales as 'terrific failures' and promised to find an American coach to make things right. Pilczuk's appointment marks the end of the search for a suitable candidate.

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