BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech head swimming & diving coach Sergio Lopez Miro announced the addition of Payton Brooks as the new assistant coach on Monday. Lopez Miro also announces title changes for Steve Steketee, Jacy Dyer and Albert Subirats.
"I am truly excited that Payton Brooks has agreed to become one of our coaches with the Virginia Tech Swimming and Diving Team," said Lopez Miro. "I had the privilege to recruit, and coach Payton at West Virginia University where he helped the team to win the program's first Big East Championship title and also, later on, was one of the coaches at The Bolles School that helped me build a consistent national champion team."
Brooks was a member of the WVU swim team under Lopez Miro where he helped WVU win the 2007 Big East Championship. Brooks finished as a five-time All-Big East swimmer and ranked in the top-10 while at West Virginia in the freestyle, freestyle relays, and medley relay.
"I am excited and honored to join the Virginia Tech family," Brooks said. "Sergio Lopez Miro has one of the most brilliant minds in our sport, and I am humbled to be joining his coaching staff," Said Brooks. "I am eager to build on the traditions of this storied University and fuel the growth and success of the swimming & diving program at Virginia Tech. Go Hokies!"
Brooks served as an assistant coach at The Bolles School from 2012-2015 where he helped the Bulldogs win the 2012 Boys National Championship. He took to the head coaching ranks at Alderson Broaddus University in 2015. Also at Alderson Broaddus, his duties included Aquatics Director along with all other aspects of the program.
"Payton is the type of coach that will be able to help any swimmer. He is a student of the sport, and I have seen him excel with age group swimmers, with college swimmers, and with post-graduate swimmers." Lopez Miro stated. "I want to give a big Hokie welcome to Payton, his wife Madisen, his son Stone and his daughter Meadow as they join the Hokie Family."
Additionally, Lopez Miro announces the restructuring of the coaching staff as Steketee is promoted to associate head coach. Dyer will take on women's recruiting coordinator responsibilities in addition to serving as an assistant coach while Subirats will serve as the men's recruiting coordinator and assistant coach.
Lopez Miro on Steketee:
"Steve did a tremendous job this past season not only on the pool deck, but with the budget, general team management and making sure that we comply with NCAA rules in our training and meet schedule. He is very organized and ready to take on any task at any time. Steve was instrumental in making the transition year very smooth and easy for me as I focused on writing practice, coaching and recruiting. I have the utmost respect for the way he works and the way he keeps us organized. Steve can coach from the distance to the sprinters and this past season he excelled on the pool deck with both the men's and women's teams. He is really dedicated to the success of Virginia Tech, and I am very happy to be able to make him the Associate Head Coach."
Lopez Miro on Dyer:
"I met Jacy a year ago during her interview and she had a great impact on me right away as a person and as a knowledgeable coach. She did an exceptional job this year in starting to create a strong and positive culture with the women's team. I have seen the way she has grown to take ownership of the women's program, helping the captains have the leadership they need to empower our women's team. The impressive thing about Jacy is that she connects right away and very well with our men's team too. This year she was instrumental in helping them accomplish so much in one season. I am truly excited to have her in this new role of Women's Recruiting Coordinator. She has an amazing track record with recruiting and I am so happy with the way she has taken over such important task."
Lopez Miro on Subirats:
"I am thrilled to name Albert as our new Men's Recruiting Coordinator. He has a wealth of knowledge with training, competing and life. Because of his own experience as a swimmer he can connect with athletes at all levels. He is very passionate about the sport and he is eager to bring the best of the best to our Hokie Swimming & Diving program. People say that "just because you were a good swimmer there is no guarantee that you will be a good coach," well Albert is one that was a world class athlete and he is able to share his knowledge and skills without hesitation to every swimmer. I have watched him this past year and I was super impressed with the way he was eager to learn, but at the same time the way he took ownership of his skills and shared his knowledge with all of us. If he keeps working this way the sky is the limit for Albert as a coach."