Nebraska Swimming & Diving

Head coach Pablo Morales

A five-time Olympic medalist and 11-time NCAA champion, Pablo Morales continues to see the Nebraska swimming and diving program climb in national prominence in and out of the water. The 2026-27 season will mark Morales's 26th season leading the Husker program.

• Head Coach, Nebraska, 2001-Present (26th Season)
• Head Coach, USA Swimming Diversity Select Camp, 2007
• Associate Head Coach, San Jose Aquatics, 2000-01
• Head Coach, San Jose State, 1998-2001
• Graduate Assistant, Stanford, 1997-98
• Assistant Coach, San Jose Aquatics, 1995-96
• Graduate Assistant, Cornell, 1989-91
• Head Coach, Stanford Masters Swim Program, 1988-89
• Big 12 Coach of the Year (2004)
• WAC Coach of the Year (2000)
• Five-Time Olympic Medalist (3 Gold, 2 Silver)
• 11-Time NCAA Champion
• CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame

Associate Head Coach Patrick Rowan

Patrick Rowan enters his 15th season as Nebraska’s associate head coach in 2026-27, helping the Huskers continue to build a nationally competitive women’s swimming and diving program.  Rowan, who returned to Nebraska after spending five years as an assistant coach at Missouri, helped the Tigers become one of the nation’s top-15 programs during his time in Columbia (2008-12).

• Nebraska Associate Head Coach (2012-Present)
• Missouri Assistant Coach (2007-12)
• Nebraska Volunteer Assistant Coach (2006-07)
• Nebraska Aquatics Head Coach (2002-07)
• Eastern Michigan Swimmer (1996-00)
• 12-Time MAC Finalist
• Two-Time MAC Team Champions
• Two-Time Nebraska Class A State Champion

Head Diving Coach Ford McLiney

A U.S. National Team finalist and two-time Olympic qualifier, Ford McLiney was named the new Head Diving Coach at the University of Nebraska by Pablo Morales on Monday, June 15, 2026.

• Nebraska Head Diving Coach (2026-Present)
• Pitt Assistant Diving Coach (2024-2026)
• Rockhurst University Head Diving Coach (2023-2024)
• U.S. National Team Member
• Two-Time Olympics Trials Qualifier
• Two-Time SEC Champion
• U.S. National Finalist
• Texas A&M Swimming and Diving Captain

The nebraska way

As a team, Nebraska has produced 26 top-40 finishes at the NCAA Championships, with the most recent coming in 2026. At the 2026 NCAA Championships, the team boasted 27th out of 45 teams, with 24 points. The Huskers, who have grabbed 10 top-20 team finishes at the NCAA meet, including four top-10 showings, also have claimed 10 conference team titles and 10 more runner-up conference finishes in just over 40 years of women's swimming and diving as a varsity sport. All time, 65 Husker swimmers and divers have combined for 255 NCAA All-America awards, with the most recent coming from Gena Jorgenson and Abby Baxter at the 2026 NCAA Championships.

A four-time All-American, Jorgenson became the school record holder with her times from the NCAA Championships in the 1,650 and 500 freestyles. She earned first-team All-America for three consecutive years in the 1,650 free and recently added a first-team finish in 2026 in the 500 free. Jorgenson also became the first Husker since Lauren Bailey in 2007 to capture a conference championship title in the 1,650 free.

Abby Baxter leveraged her first honorable mention All-America honor at the 2026 NCAA Championships with her performance on the three-meter board. She became the first diver to earn an All-America award for a Husker diver since Abi Knapton in 2021.

Nebraska has produced 11 Olympians, including gold medalist and world-record holder Penny Heyns. Huskers participated in eight consecutive Olympic Games, including six straight from Therese Alshammar, who became the first female in history to accomplish the feat as a swimmer at the Rio Games in 2016.

In addition to individual success, Nebraska swimming and diving has claimed 10 conference team championships and 10 more runner-up finishes.

Facilities

Devaney Center Natatorium

Nebraska swimming and diving utilizes top-notch facilities. Nearly every Husker sport enjoys a venue that ranks among the nation’s best. Nebraska is dedicated to providing its athletes the best game-day and practice atmospheres in every sport.

Woods Park

The Huskers also train outdoors at Woods Park, where there is an Olympic-sized pool.

Devaney Center Weight Room

U.S. Swim Trials

The state of Nebraska has also been a significant stop for swimmers on their path to Olympic glory for the past decade. In 2008, 2012 and 2016, Omaha’s CHI Health Center served as the home of the U.S. Olympic Trials. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Omaha in 2020 but was rescheduled for June 2021 due to COVID-19.

Osborne Training Complex

Performance Nutrition

• 1,600 meals served daily to Nebraska student-athletes and staff members
• Individualized Meal Plans/ Menus
• Body Composition Testing
• Competition Fueling
• Supplement Education
• High-Quality, Performance-Based Foods
• The Landing- established in 2005
• Oasis- established in 2011
• Before, During, and After Workout Fueling Plan
• Student nutrition volunteers assist in managing both areas
• Prepare specialized nutritional shakes and recovery drinks for all student-athletes
• Life Skills Kitchen- offers student- athletes to learn and prepare nutritious meals themselves

Refueling at "The Landing"

Dick and Peg Herman Family Student Life Complex

The athletic academic unit provides personal and academic support to ensure that student-athletes will get the most out of their years as Huskers. Featuring one of the most innovative and comprehensive academic support systems in the country, Nebraska is dedicated to helping its student-athletes become outstanding leaders in their chosen fields.

376 Academic All-Americans

Top Ten Award Winners

Nebraska student-athletes have won more NCAA Top Ten Awards than any other school in the country. Regarded as the nation's most prestigious academic award, Nebraska has had 19 recipients - most recently Micaylon Moore in 2025. The award honors male and female student-athletes throughout the country based upon the criteria of athletic achievement, academic achievement and community involvement.

The NAPL

The future of athletic performance is here. The Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory utilizes a multi-method, multi-disciplinary approach to athlete performance and health through technology and academic expertise. Through collaborative expertise, the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory strives to bring the best to the student-athletes of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In 2013, a 50,000-square-foot expansion of Nebraska's East Memorial Stadium brought together athletic and academic researchers in Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory (NAPL) under one roof to study human behavior and performance. The partnership is believed to be the nation's only joint, on-campus athletic and academic research facility. The collaboration is a testament to Nebraska's commitment to student-athletes' performance, safety, and long-term health and well-being housed within East Memorial Stadium, allowing optimal accessibility for student-athletes, researchers, and coaching staff.

service to a much larger community

Regarded as the premier and most comprehensive Life Skills program in college athletics, the Husker program is committed to providing proactive education, resources and support through college and beyond to promote total person development and preparation for life after sports.

The Nebraska Life Skills program offered its fifth service trip in 2019, taking student-athletes to Alaska. Student-athletes have also traveled to Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

With an enrollment of over 25,000 students, the University of Nebraska has students from over 135 countries and 149 undergraduate majors. More information can be found here.

UNL National Rankings

• 2018 No. 1 Online MBA in the World for Alumni Salary Increases (Financial Times)
• 2018 Top 30 Colleges that Produce the Most CEOs (Kittleman)
• 2019 No. 9 Best Online Graduate Education Programs (U.S. News & World Report)
• 2021 No. 21 Online Master of Engineering Management Program (U.S. News & World Report)
• 2021 No. 17 Best Online MBA Programs (U.S. News & World Report)
• 2021 Best Value College (The Princeton Review)
• 2021 Ranked Among Top Third of National Universities (U.S. News & World Report)
• 2021 No. 13 Best Online MBA Program (Princeton Review)