Florida Hires Kristin Walker as Associate Head Coach
The University of Florida on Thursday announced the hiring of Kristin Walker as an associate head coach for the swimming and diving program.
Walker arrives in Gainesville after six seasons as the associate head coach and women’s recruiting coordinator at the University of Wyoming.
“I am very excited to join the incredible staff and team at Florida,” Walker said in a press release. “Thank you to Coach Nesty, Mike Spiegler, and the swimming and diving staff for their trust in giving me this opportunity. It is a humbling privilege to be able to contribute to such a respected program. Go Gators!”
Walker recruited 11 Mountain West and WAC Conference champions in her time in Laramie, as well as a qualifier for Olympic Trials in 2024 and NCAAs in 2025. She was named one of the American Swimming Coaches Association’s 30 Under 30 Award recipients in June. She also received a Jean Freeman Scholarship in 2019.
Walker was an assistant coach at Georgia Southern for three seasons, managing recruiting, training and travel coordination. She worked with coach Dennis Pursley at the Alabama Rising Tide Swim Camp in 2018 as well as the U.S. Air Force Academy summer camp and as an assistant coach with Altitude Performance in Colorado Springs.
Walker swam at the University of New Mexico, graduating in 2016. The Colorado Springs native set the program record in the 200 breaststroke. She was a team captain and qualified as a scholar athlete award winner and for the Mountain West Championships team each of her four years.
Walker holds bachelor’s degrees in speech and hearing sciences and psychology from New Mexico and a master’s degree in special education from Georgia Southern.
“We’re excited to welcome Kristin to our staff as associate head coach,” head coach Anthony Nesty said. “Her gift of connecting with athletes and helping them realize their potential, both in the pool and in life is something every championship program is built on. We’re incredibly fortunate to have her on board.”
