Following the unanticipated suspension of Notre Dame’s men’s swimming program, senior Chris Guiliano took his talents to Texas to spend his final spring of eligibility training and competing for an NCAA title under head coach Bob Bowman.
Guiliano spent the previous three springs competing for Notre Dame, leading the men’s team to a program-best 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He scored 45 points in contribution to that finish, earning First Team All-America status and placing within the top five in the 50-meter free, 100-meter free and 200-meter free.
Additionally, Guiliano competed in the 50, the 100 and the 200-meter freestyle, the 4×100 and the 4×200 freestyle relays in the Paris Olympics in 2024. He and his 4×100 teammates earned gold medals for their first-place victory in the Olympic finals.
Guiliano’s post-Olympic journey took a turn as the Fighting Irish closed their swimming program.
An investigation of the Notre Dame men’s swim program uncovered clear violations of the NCAA’s gambling rules, and the school suspended the program for at least one academic year.
Swimmers who weren’t even involved in the scandal had to make tough decisions about their futures, and Guiliano was no exception.
He announced via Instagram his transfer to Texas on Nov. 6.
“This process has been extremely difficult, but I’m excited to begin a new chapter of my life,” Guiliano wrote.
He will still complete his degree through the University of Notre Dame, and he will get to walk with his class at graduation in South Bend, Indiana. But in the meantime, Guiliano is embracing a new team, a new city and new goals.
He arrived in Austin right before Christmas, giving him little time to adjust and transition into the spring season. However, his efforts to immerse himself into the team and build relationships with coaches and players seem to be paying off.
“I feel like I’m really fitting in well with the team, first of all,” Guiliano said in a press conference following the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown last weekend. “These guys have been great welcoming me in here, especially midseason.”
Guiliano went from training on his own for much of the fall to being surrounded by several other talented swimmers in the top-ranked men’s program in the country.
He swept the short freestyle events against SMU on Jan. 10 and placed second in the 100 freestyle at the competitive Eddie Reese Texas Showdown this past week, securing a personal best time.
Although there is a lot of season ahead, the success Guiliano has already found this spring has helped contribute to a 7–0 record so far.
“I’m feeling really good, really fit right now,” Guiliano said. “I’m happy with how everything’s going.”