Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Jeff Poppell has resigned his position after 6 seasons at the helm of the Lady Razorbacks, the Althetics Director Jeff Long announced Saturday. The decision was made as a result of the Poppells' need to attend to ailing family members in Florida.
“Over the last several months, my wife and I have faced some challenges relating to the health of our family members in Florida,” Poppell said. “These experiences have prompted us to make the difficult decision to leave the University of Arkansas and move our family closer to home so that we may be in a better position of support and assistance in the future.
During his tenure, Poppell developed the Razorbacks into one of the better distance freestyle programs in the country, including senior-to-be Chelsea Franklin, who was 10th in the mile at last season's NCAA Championships. In total, he had 10 All-Americans since 2008, highlighted by breaststroker Yi-Ting Siow finishing 2nd in the 200 in 2011.
The Razorbacks also had a stirling academic record, with Poppell's teams consistently ranking at-or-near the top of the SEC in team GPA.
Sources tell us that Poppell's next job will be as the head coach at Gulliver Prep High School in Miami. That's the former home team of National High School Record holder Christine Swindle. They have a brand new, 50-meter facility, and their coach James Sweeney resigned last season. Poppell has some history in Florida High School swimming, as he was once the head of the famed Bolles program in Jacksonville.