Cory Chitwood

Cory Chitwood finished his third season as an assistant coach in 2016. Chitwood works primarily with the Cavalier distance group.

During the 2015-16 season, Chitwood mentored Leah Smith to successfully defend her NCAA titles in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle. Smith also captured the ACC titles in both events and set new NCAA records in the 1,000 free and 1,650 free at the ACC Champpionships. Chitwood also guided the 800 free relay to an ACC and UVA record and a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Chitwood also aided Kaitlyn Jones to ACC titles in the 400 IM and 200 butterfly and Jones and Megan Moroney to honorable mention All-America honors.

Following the collegiate season, Chitwood coached Smith to an Olympic appearance by qualifying in three events, the 400-meter freestyle, the 800m free and the 4x200m free relay. Smith won gold in Rio with the relay, earned a bronze medal in the 400m free and placed sixth in the 800m free.

In three seasons at UVA, Chitwood has coached Cavalier swimmers to three NCAA records, four ACC records, seven Virginia records and 23 UVA all-time top-10 times.

In 2014-15, Chitwood guided Smith to NCAA titles in the 500 free and 1,650 free. Smith broke the NCAA record in the 500 free and set then-ACC and UVa records in the 1,000 free and 1,650 free. In addition, Smith won ACC titles in the 200 free, 500 free and 1,650 free and the ACC Champion 800 free relay was made up entirely of the Cavaliers’ distance group.

In his first season, Chitwood helped guide the Cavaliers distance swimmers to three ACC Championships, including Brad Phillips in the men’s 1,650 free and Leah Smith in the women’s 500 and 1,650 free. Smith went on to finish third in the mile at the NCAA Championships, while Hanne Borgersen earned honorable mention All-America honors with a 16th-place finish. Smith broke the school record in three events (500, 1,000 and 1,650 free) and set new ACC records in the 500 free and the mile.

Before coming to Charlottesville, Chitwood joined the Cavaliers from LSU, where he was an assistant coach for the 2012-13 season and worked primarily with the Tiger mid-distance and specialty-stroke swimmers.

The 2012 graduate of Arizona won three consecutive NCAA Championships in the 200 backstroke and was a 14-time All-American as well as a four-year conference all-academic team member.

On the international stage, Chitwood was a member of the U.S. National team and finished 10th in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:00.03 in the semifinals at the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Before LSU, Chitwood served as the Northern Kentucky Clippers club team’s head assistant coach, specializing with the elite 11-12 and 13-14 year old age groups after he completed his collegiate career.

Chitwood is married to the former Ellyn Baumgardner, who was an All-American swimmer at Arizona.