• Born July 23, 1941, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Enters Daytona Beach Mainland High School at age 13; swims on every school swim team from ninth grade through graduation.
• Wins two state championships while swimming the 200-yard individual medley for Daytona Beach Mainland High School.
• Becomes standout swimmer for the University of Florida, leading the Gators to three conference titles in 1961, 1962, and 1963; as team’s co-captain in 1963 becomes the first Florida swimmer to win five conference titles in a single year.
• Graduates from the University of Florida with a physical education degree in 1963.
• Becomes assistant swim coach for the University of Florida, where he remains until completing his master’s degree in 1965.
• Teaches and coaches at Roswell (N.M.) High School in 1965 and 1966 before returning to Florida for six seasons as an assistant coach.
• Takes job as head swim coach at Auburn University in 1972. Takes team from cellar to second in the nation in 1978.
• Takes over swimming program at UT Austin in 1978.
• Reese’s team captures national championship in 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, and 2002. Team earns second- or third-place finishes in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2008.
• Earns National Collegiate Scholar and Swimming trophy from the College Swimming Coaches Association in 1991.
• Named Coach of the Year by the American Swim Coaches Association in 1991, 2005, and 2006.
• Inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1996.
• Inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
• Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002.
• Named head coach for the U.S. Olympic men’s swimming team in 1992, 2004, and 2008; works as an assistant coach in 1988, 1996, and 2000.
• Members of Reese’s 2008 team include Michael Phelps, who won a record-breaking eight gold medals in a single Olympics; under Reese’s direction the team wins 17 medals, 10 of them gold.
• Former Longhorn swimmers earning medals at the 2008 Olympics include Aaron Peirsol with two golds and one silver, Garrett Weber-Gale with two golds, Ian Crocker with one gold, and Brendan Hansen with one gold; current Longhorn medalists include Ricky Berens with one gold and Dave Walters with one gold.
Related Links:
Texas Longhorns Official Athletic Site — Men’s Swimming & Diving