Texas Swimming Hires Brandt Nigro as Associate Head Coach

Texas women’s swimming has added a proven program builder to Carol Capitani’s staff.

Brandt Nigro has been named the Longhorns’ associate head coach after seven seasons overseeing Army West Point’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs.

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He arrives in Austin with 13 years of college coaching experience and a résumé filled with historic breakthroughs.

Nigro didn’t simply maintain Army’s program. He pushed the Black Knights through barriers that had stood for decades.

Army’s teams compiled a combined 72-36-1 dual-meet record under Nigro, including a 34-12 mark against Patriot League opponents.

He was voted the conference’s Men’s Coach of the Year in 2023 and 2025.

His final season at West Point may have been his most impressive. Catriana Gilmore, Molly Webber and Angie McKane became Army’s first female swimmers to reach the NCAA Championships since the program joined Division I in 1991.

The women finished 9-1 in dual meets and placed second at the Patriot League Championships.

Army also sent two men to NCAA scoring finishes.

Johnny Crush placed fifth in the 100-yard backstroke with a school-record time of 43.84, earning his second consecutive All-America honor.

Kohen Rankin finished 13th in the 100 breaststroke at 51.47 to collect second-team All-America recognition.

Nigro’s teams also changed the Army-Navy rivalry.

The Black Knights defeated Navy in 2023 for the first time since 1990.

Two years later, Army swept the rivalry meet for the first time since 1988, while the men captured their first Patriot League championship in 24 years.

Before becoming Army’s head coach, Nigro spent two seasons as an assistant at NC State.

The Wolfpack swept the 2019 ACC team championships and matched program-best NCAA finishes, with the men placing fourth and the women seventh.

Nigro worked primarily with sprint freestyle and stroke swimmers.

During his time in Raleigh, NC State athletes claimed NCAA championships, shattered conference records and produced 31 All-America performances during the 2018 national meet.

His previous stops included Marshall, UMBC and Wesleyan. At Marshall, Nigro helped guide the women’s program to its best season, including 11 school records and a third-place Conference USA finish.

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Capitani is adding much more than an experienced assistant. Nigro has coached sprinters, stroke specialists, relays and international competitors while demonstrating that he can elevate entire programs.

Texas already carries championship expectations. Nigro’s job won’t be to create them—it’ll be to help the Longhorns keep meeting them.