Vlad Polyakov, a former three-time Olympian, World Champion and NCAA Champion, was named an associate head swimming coach at Auburn in May 2021. Polyakov spent the previous nine years on the Louisville swimming and diving staff also serving as men's recruiting coordinator.
"I am very excited to welcome Vlad, Mhyria, Liam and Maksim to the Auburn Family," Auburn head coach Ryan Wochomurka said. "Vlad brings an unequaled positive energy to the pool deck and is one the most genuinely well-liked and respected individuals in the industry. He is one of the brightest and most innovative technical coaches I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He also brings a tenacious and studious approach to recruiting and is one of the very best at identifying talent domestically and internationally. Vlad's experience as an elite level athlete on the SEC, NCAA, and international stage allows him a unique opportunity to guide our student-athletes in their own elite level pursuits. I look forward to working with Vlad again as our Associate Head Coach and take great pleasure in hearing him yell 'War Eagle!'"
In Polyakov's nine seasons at Louisville, the Cardinals earned eight top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Championships – five on the women's side and three on the men's side. The Cardinals had 12 individual titles and one relay title at the NCAA Championships in his tenure, and three swimmers combined for six selections as ACC Swimmer of the Year. The 2020-21 season saw Louisville's men match their program-best finish with a fifth-place showing at NCAAs, earning individual titles in the 200 butterfly (Nicolas Albiero) and 200 medley relay. In addition, Albiero was named men's ACC Swimmer of the Year, and the Cardinals won the ACC Championship for the first time. The Cardinal women earned a 13th-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
"My family and I are very excited to become a part of the Auburn Family. Auburn swimming and diving was an undisputed standard of excellence during my college years. Auburn athletes that I raced against were tough and fierce competitors, and Auburn coaches of that era are still considered some of the greatest coaches in the world of swimming today," Polyakov said. "Auburn's legacy is undeniable. I am honored to have the opportunity to be associated with one of the richest traditions in swimming and diving history. I share Ryan's vision for the program and look forward to empowering our Auburn athletes to perform at the highest level of their ability both academically and athletically. War Eagle!"
Despite an abrupt end due to the coronavirus pandemic that resulted in the cancellation of the NCAA Championships, the 2019-20 season was still memorable for the Cardinals. UofL qualified 10 men for the national meet and tied their program best with 12 qualifiers on the women's side, and both the women and men finished third at their respective ACC Championships. The Cardinals concluded the season with final rankings of No. 9 for men and No. 16 for women in the CSCAA Poll, had 31 athletes named as All-Americans, and was again selected as a Scholar All-American team.
In a memorable 2018-19, Polyakov helped the Cardinal women to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championship, the highest finish in program history. The Cards earned the program's first-ever team trophy, securing fourth with 235 points. Louisville became the first ACC program in history to have both its men's and women's teams finish in the top five at NCAAs in a single season. Arthur Albiero earned his second straight ACC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year honors and Mallory Comerford collected her third consecutive ACC Women's Swimmer of the Year honor after winning two titles at the NCAA Championship and three ACC Championship gold medals (100, 200, and 500 freestyle). The men made history was made at the NCAA Championship as the Cardinals captured a program-record fifth place finish. The Cardinals' 212 points were also the most scored by a Louisville men's team at an NCAA Championship. The Cards became the first ACC program in history to have both its men's and women's teams finish in the top five at NCAAs in a single season.
In 2017-18, major awards during the collegiate season began when Nick Albiero was named ACC Freshman of the Year with Mallory Comerford winning ACC Swimmer of the Year, and newcomer Mariia Ashtashkina being named ACC Freshman of the Year for the women. At NCAAs, the Cardinals had 15 men's and women's athletes earn a combined 38 All-American honors.
The 2016-17 season brought the Cardinals to the forefront on both the national and international stage. Breakout star Mallory Comerford won five gold medals at the 2017 FINA World Championships, was the champion in the 100m free at 2017 Phillips 66 Nationals and tied for the 2017 NCAA title in the 200y free with Katie Ledecky. The Cardinals men's team set 11 school records and finished second at the ACC Championship, while the women finished third. The women led the nation with 11 All-Americans while finishing sixth overall to tie the school record for highest finish. Meanwhile, the men finished 11th at the NCAAs with eight All-Americans. On the international stage, Polyakov was a member of the coaching staff for Russia in Budapest at the World Championships.
The year 2015-16 season saw the Cardinals win two more NCAA Championships with Kelsi Worrell picking up two more in the butterfly events. Worrell went on to make the Olympic team and win a relay gold medal after winning the Honda Award and being named as a First Team Academic All-American. She was named both the ACC Swimmer of the Year, and the 2016 Most Valuable Swimmer. In all, seven Cardinals went to Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. The men were the ACC runners up and the women were fourth, while at NCAAs, the Cardinal men were 11th and the women placed eighth.
In his third season, Polyakov helped coach the Cards to two NCAA championships, 10 ACC gold medals and guided a total of 14 Cardinals to All-American status. The Cardinal men were second at ACCs and the women were fourth prior to the Cardinal women finishing a school record No. 6 at NCAAs and the men finishing No. 15 in a true team effort. The Cardinals won five Pan American Medals, won two USA National Championships and put five swimmers in the FINA World Championships and two at the World University Games.
In 2013-14, he helped coach the Cards to a No. 11 NCAA finish along with two more national championships as Joao De Lucca hit the wall first in both the 100 and 200 freestyle. The Cardinal men also won the inaugural American Conference Championship.
Polyakov's first season at Louisville, he helped coach the Cardinal women to their third straight BIG EAST Championship. De Lucca became the second Cardinal in history to win an NCAA Championship, when he took the 200-free in a 1:33.49, the third fastest time in the history of the NCAA meet.
Prior to coming to Louisville, Polyakov amassed extensive international experience and gathered a long list of accomplishments in collegiate and professional swimming. A 2007 graduate of the University of Alabama, Polyakov swam for the Crimson Tide from 2003-2007. After graduating in 2007, Polyakov spent the next five years in the professional ranks competing.
While at Alabama, Polyakov was a 5-time SEC Champion, 2-time NCAA Champion, and 2-time US National Champion
In 2005 and 2006, he was the 100- and 200- breaststroke champion in the SEC. Again in 2007, Polyakov won the100-breaststroke in the SEC. He is the school record holder in both the 100- and 200-breaststrokes for the Crimson Tide. Polyakov holds the record in the 200-breaststroke for the Southeastern Conference. He was the runner up at the 2003 and 2006 NCAA Championships in the 200-breaststroke. In 2005 and 2007, he was the 200-breaststroke NCAA Breaststroke Champion. For all of his accomplishments and honors as a swimmer for the Crimson Tide, he was named to the Alabama Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.
Polyakov accumulated just as many honors as a student while at the University of Alabama. In 2002 and 2003 he was named to the Alabama President's List. From 2002-2007 he was named to the Alabama Dean's List. Polyakov was named Academic All-SEC four times and was also a four-time Coaches Association Academic All-American. In 2005, 2006, and 2007 he was named to the ESPN Academic All-American At-Large Team. He was given an Individual Academic All-American Award by the CSCAA in 2005. Polyakov was given the "Most Valuable" Award for Most Dedicated Student-Athlete of the Year in 2005 and 2006. During the 2006 season Polyakov was named the SEC Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year and also received the Coaches Award from the Crimson Tide team.
During his time at Alabama and after Polyakov took his talents to the international and then the professional ranks. He was a three-time Olympian having swam in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and most recently the 2012 Olympics in London for his native Kazakhstan. In 2004, he was a finalist in the 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke. In other international competition, Polyakov was a 2004 FINA World Championship Bronze medalist in the 100m and 200m breaststrokes and then in 2006 he was a FINA World Championship Gold medalist in the 200m breaststroke.