Ryan Lochte, a six-time Olympic gold medalist, has officially joined the swimming staff at Missouri State, stepping into the role of assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs starting later this summer.

At 41 years old, Lochte is celebrated as one of the most decorated Olympic swimmers, amassing 12 overall medals across four Summer Games. His competitive journey began at Florida, where he secured 18 long-course world championships and 21 short-course world titles.

In his own words, Lochte expressed the significance of his transition:

Swimming gave me structure, purpose and a platform to grow not just as an athlete but as a person. To now step into a coaching role and pour that experience back into student-athletes is something I take seriously.

However, Lochte's illustrious career has not been without its controversies. In 2016, he falsely claimed to be robbed by armed men in Rio de Janeiro, only for it to be revealed that the incident involved gas station guards after he vandalized property. This led to a 10-month suspension from both USA Swimming and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Two years later, he faced another setback when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency imposed a 14-month suspension for a prohibited intravenous infusion, which he initially shared on social media before deleting the post.

As he embarks on this new chapter, Lochte emphasized the importance of coaching beyond just competition:

It’s about more than times and results. It’s about helping young men and women build discipline, resilience and confidence that will carry them far beyond the pool.

Missouri State has a storied swimming tradition, with the men’s team winning 21 conference championships and the women’s team winning 18. Coach Dave Collins expressed enthusiasm about Lochte's addition:

We are very excited to welcome Ryan to the coaching staff. His work ethic and experience will translate very well on deck as a coach.