Former University of Houston women’s swimming coach Augie Busch has been chosen to replace Mark Bernardino as the head coach of the Virginia swimming and diving program, according to an announcement made by athletic director Craig Littlepage Wednesday morning. Bernardino unexpectedly announced his retirement last week, a move that several former Cavalier swimmers speculated was involuntary.
Before spending the previous two seasons leading the Houston women’s squad, Busch served eight years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Arizona. In his span with the Wildcats, the men’s and women’s squads combined for 15 top-five finishes at the NCAA Championships. At Houston, he led the women’s team to a program-best second place finish in Conference USA in 2013.
“After doing the research to find a great fit and the type of coach best positioned to take over the Virginia swimming and diving program, there is no question in my mind that Augie Busch is someone who is uniquely qualified,” Littlepage said in a University press release. “His background with top-ranked college programs, conference and NCAA champions and Olympic-level swimmers have all prepared him to build on our programs’ success at Virginia.”
Many close to the Virginia swimming program have questioned the motives behind the retirement of Bernardino. In an open letter dated July 8, nine Virginia alumni urged University president Teresa Sullivan to review the decision-making process that led to the announcement and to delay the hiring of a replacement until they found answers.
“Mark simply would not voluntarily retire in a manner that would be so destructive to the University and the swimming and diving teams,” they said in the letter. “To abruptly leave without any explanation, on the first day that coaches are allowed to contact recruits, with no transition strategy in place and just one coach remaining at the program’s helm, is completely out of character.”
Bernardino has been quiet on the issue, which led some alumni to conclude that he is contractually bound from discussing his departure.
Busch, 37, began his coaching career in 1996 with a club team in Tuscon, Arizona. He later served as the head coach for Salpointe Catholic High School in Tuscon and as an assistant coach with the University of Arkansas before arriving at Arizona. He is the son of USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch.
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