Peter Richardson, Jacy Dyer to Lead U.S. Team to 2023 World University Games

Jacy Dyer; Photo Courtesy: Virginia Tech Athletics

Peter Richardson, Jacy Dyer to Lead U.S. Team to 2023 World University Games

Peter Richardson and Jacy Dyer have been named head coach of the men’s and women’s teams, respectively, for the United States at the 2023 World University Games.

Both will work with director of swimming Ian Quinn to select and coach the team for the event July 28-Aug. 8. The team will be selected outside of USA Swimming, which had previously indicated it would not focus on the Chengdu Games, and instead by the United States International University Sports Federation.

This installment of the World University Games has been twice postponed, from 2021 and 2022, and replaces what was supposed to be the 2023 event to be held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, before the country’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent suspension from many international competitions.

“We are thrilled that Peter and Jacy have taken on these roles as our head coaches for Chengdu,” Neal Holden, Deputy Head of Delegation for USA World University Games, said in a press release. “They both bring a wealth of knowledge and experience about the sport and are hungry for and appreciative of this opportunity to continue the strong tradition of American swimming at the World University Games. Our USA swimmers selected for Chengdu will be in great hands, and the team they will assemble will make us all proud!”

Richardson is coming off his first season as the associate head coach to the men’s and women’s teams at USC. He spent three seasons as the associate head coach at the University of Arizona, leading among others, Brooks Fail. Richardson was a former head coach at the University of the Pacific for seven seasons and led Fresno Pacific to three NAIA titles in five seasons.

“I couldn’t be more excited about building the best team we can,” Richardson said. “Coaching the Red, White, and Blue at the World University Games this summer is an incredible opportunity to showcase the amazing talent we have here.” When asked about what this summer’s games could mean for American student-athletes, Coach Richardson emphasized that “an international team trip a year before the Olympics is the perfect way to springboard into more success down the road.”

Jacy Dyer is the reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference coach of the year for her work as the head coach at Fairfield University. The Stags women’s team captured the 2023 MAAC title and the men were fourth. Dyer is a former assistant at Virginia Tech for four seasons, the last as the associate head coach. She also was an assistant at James Madison for four years and at her alma mater, the University of Toledo.

“I am so honored for this opportunity to be the women’s head coach for our USA Team,” Dyer said. “We are excited about the student-athletes we have representing the United States so far and are currently looking for more swimmers who want to be a part of the team we are building. This is an incredible opportunity and we can’t wait to represent our country well on an international stage at the World University Games.”

Eligible athletes must be U.S. citizens and either current college students, graduates from 2020-23 or 2023 high school graduates who turn 18 this year and are committed or signed to a college for the fall. The roster has a maximum of 25 men and 25 women, with no more than two entries per event. Cost of participation will be borne by athletes. Those interested can reach out to Quinn at iquinn@unca.edu with full name, age, university, U.S. passport status, best events and times (short course or long course).

Quinn, an assistant coach at UNC Asheville, is the U.S. team’s director of swimming. Assistant coaches include Carl Weigley (UC Davis), Eileen Bringman (Cornell), Guy Buls (Henderson State), Sean Sullivan (Illinois State) and Brian Loeffler (Loyola Maryland). All are assistant coaches at their respective schools except for Loeffler, the head coach at Loyola.

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