Olympic Gold Medalist Olivia Smoliga Announces Move to Texas Ford Aquatics

Smoliga will train under renowned coach Coley Stickels as she mounts a comeback after an eight-month break from swimming.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Olympic gold medalist Olivia Smoliga has announced that she is returning to the pool and will now train at Texas Ford Aquatics under the guidance of coach Coley Stickels. Smoliga, who has only competed once since the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, said the last eight months have been "extraordinary" and have allowed her to "hear herself better" and shed things that weren't hers. She will be looking to channel these insights into a comeback similar to the one she mounted in 2023.

Why it matters

Smoliga's move to Texas Ford Aquatics and her reunion with coach Coley Stickels is significant, as she looks to reignite her swimming career after a lengthy break. Stickels has coached several high-profile swimmers, and his sprint-oriented approach will be a stark contrast to the higher-yardage system Smoliga experienced under Bob Bowman's tutelage. This change in training philosophy could be the key to Smoliga's next career resurgence.

The details

Smoliga, a 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist, has only competed once, at the Toronto leg of the 2025 World Cup, since the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. In her Instagram post, she said the last eight months have been "extraordinary" and have allowed her to "hear herself better" and shed things that weren't hers. Smoliga will now train under the guidance of Coley Stickels, the head coach at Texas Ford Aquatics. Stickels has coached several high-profile swimmers, including Daiya Seto, Beryl Gastaldello, Ryan Held, and Blake Pieroni. Smoliga's move to Frisco, Texas, from Tempe, Arizona, where she trained with Bob Bowman's pro group, will see a stark change in her training philosophy, from Bowman's higher-yardage system to Stickels' more sprint-oriented approach.

  • Smoliga has only competed once, at the Toronto leg of the 2025 World Cup, since the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
  • Smoliga announced her move to Texas Ford Aquatics on Instagram on February 25, 2026.

The players

Olivia Smoliga

A 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist who has announced her return to the pool and move to Texas Ford Aquatics.

Coley Stickels

The head coach at Texas Ford Aquatics, known for coaching several high-profile swimmers throughout his career.

Bob Bowman

The coach Smoliga trained with in Tempe, Arizona, whose pro group Smoliga was a part of since 2021.

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What they’re saying

“These last eight months have been extraordinary. I'm not surprised they led me back to the pool, but I'm in awe of the path getting here.”

— Olivia Smoliga (Instagram)

“Maybe it was from this space that I could hear myself better and shed the things that weren't mine. I thought I'd end up shedding my identity as an athlete completely, when really, I just became aware of the ways that I would block me from myself.”

— Olivia Smoliga (Instagram)

The takeaway

Smoliga's move to Texas Ford Aquatics and her reunion with coach Coley Stickels represents a significant shift in her training approach as she looks to reignite her swimming career after a lengthy break. The change from Bob Bowman's higher-yardage system to Stickels' more sprint-oriented philosophy could be the key to Smoliga's next career resurgence.