Former Violet swimmer Teddy Cross has been hired as an assistant coach of both the men's and women's programs. In his new role on the pool deck, Cross will leverage his extensive background in competitive swimming, technique instruction, and stroke mechanics to mentor student-athletes while assisting with daily team operations.
Cross joins the staff following an outstanding 2025-26 campaign at NYU, capped by individual and relay national titles at the NCAA Division III Championships. He cemented his legacy in NYU team history by winning the individual National Championship in the 200-yard backstroke (with an NYU-record time of 1:42.27) and spearheading the Violets' victory in the 200-yard medley relay (1:26.18), securing a second national title while setting another program standard.
Cross, who swam as a graduate student at NYU, earned All-America honors in four additional events, capturing second place in the 100-yard backstroke with a school-record time of 46.55. He also anchored the Violets' third-place 200-yard freestyle relay (1:18.67), contributed to a fourth-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (3:11.75), and placed eighth in the 400-yard freestyle relay (2:59.61).
At the 2026 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, Cross also broke the NYU program record while winning the 50-yard freestyle (19.75), and also claimed titles in the 200 backstroke, 200 medley relay, and 200 freestyle relay.
"Teddy brings a rare combination of elite competitive experience and genuine passion for coaching," said Head Coach Trevor Miele. "Having watched him develop into an NCAA Champion last season, I've seen the work ethic and drive he brings to the pool every day. He understands what it takes to compete at the highest level, and I know our swimmers are going to benefit tremendously from his perspective. I couldn't be more excited to have him join our staff!"
Cross, who also swam as an undergraduate at NCAA Division I Loyola University as a freshman and then for two years at the University of Virginia, graduated from Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Statistics in 2025.
Cross also brings coaching experience to the NYU staff, having served as Head Coach for the Forest Lakes Swim Team, Assistant Head Coach at Boar's Head Swim Club, and as a coach for the Virginia Swim Camp and Cavalier Aquatics. Across these roles, he developed structured practices, managed over 250 athletes across varying age groups, and provided targeted instruction on water safety and competitive stroke mechanics. In addition, he honed key leadership and athlete advocacy skills through the UVA Athlete Leadership Academy and served as a Support Officer for the UVA Honor System.
Currently pursuing an M.S. in Management and Analytics at NYU's School of Professional Studies, Cross was a College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA) Second Team Scholar All-American and two-time Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Academic Honor Roll selection.
"I am extremely honored and humbled to return to NYU as an assistant coach," Cross said. "Swimming for NYU was an amazing experience, and I'm grateful and excited for the chance to coach this team and help it continue to build on its success."
A native of Charlottesville, VA, Cross resides in Jersey City, NJ.
