North Baltimore Aquatic Club

North Baltimore Aquatic Club

Sport	Swimming
Founded	1968 (1968)
League	USA Swimming
Location	Baltimore, Maryland, United States
President	John P. "Jack" Sibirt [1]
CEO	Tom Himes [2]
Website	www.teamunify.com/team/msnbac/page/home

Coppermine Meadowbrook Aquatic and Fitness Center, a former training facility for NBAC

The North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC) is an elite, multi-site swim competitive swim club based in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1968, the club has established itself as one of the most prestigious and iconic swimming programs in the United States and the World, consistently ranking as a Silver Medal Club by USA Swimming since 2017. ^[3] NBAC is renowned for its rigorous training philosophy and for developing numerous world-class athletes, including more than a dozen Olympians and Paralympians. The club's most famous alumnus is Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time. ^[4]

History

Founding and Early Success

The North Baltimore Aquatic Club was founded in 1968 by Jim McComas. ^[5] The club began its operations at the pool of Loyola Blakefield (then Loyola High School). In the mid-1980s, under the leadership of coach Murray Stephens, NBAC purchased the Coppermine Meadowbrook Aquatic and Fitness Center, establishing a permanent home and a 50-meter outdoor pool for long-course training. ^[6] This move was pivotal, allowing the club to attract more talent and expand its programs.

The Era of Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman at NBAC

The club rose to national and international prominence in the 1990s and 2000s, particularly under the coaching tandem of Murray Stephens and Bob Bowman. During this era, NBAC became a dominant force in U.S. swimming, producing a steady stream of national champions and Olympians. The arrival of a young Michael Phelps in the late 1990s, and his subsequent historic success, cemented NBAC's global reputation. All of this success would impact the club’s national ranking, as it was ranked the #1 club in the country by the USA Swimming Club Excellence Program from 2010 to 2011 and also ranked as a Gold Medal Club from the program's establishment in 2002 to 2017. ^{[7] [8]}

NBAC sells the Meadowbrook Facility

In 2015, after nearly 30 years, NBAC sold the Meadowbrook facility to Merritt Properties but continued to train there under a lease agreement for several years before transitioning to a multi-site model. ^[9]

The Departure of Bob Bowman and Michael Phelps

The period following Michael Phelps's final Olympics in 2016 marked a significant transition for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. A major factor in this shift was the departure of famed coach Bob Bowman, who had been instrumental in Phelps's career and the club's elite program. In 2015, Bowman accepted the head coaching position at Arizona State University, and Phelps, along with other top-tier swimmers, relocated to train with him. ^[10] This exodus of elite talent would significantly impact the club's ability to score the high-level performance points due to its smaller size compared to nearby swim clubs such as the Nation's Capital Swim Club (NCAP) and others. All of this would cause NBAC to drop from Gold Medal status to Silver Medal status in the 2018 Club Excellence Program; the club has not been ranked a Gold Medal club since 2017. ^[11]

Ensuing the "New Era"

In the ensuing "new era," NBAC has focused on cultivating its deep pool of age-group talent under the long-term leadership of Head Coach and CEO Tom Himes, who has been with the club for over three decades. ^[12] While the club no longer has the concentration of post-graduate and Olympic-level swimmers it was famous for in the Bowman-Phelps years, it remains a nationally competitive program. The club is consistently recognized by USA Swimming as a top-tier, Silver Medal Club, including in the 2024-2025 rankings, when it was ranked as the #39-ranked club in the country. It has also maintained being the number one swim club in the State of Maryland and continues its legacy of developing top-ranked age-group swimmers and maintaining its dominance in regional and national championships. ^[13]

Coaching

NBAC's success is deeply intertwined with its history of elite coaching.

• Murray Stephens: Co-founder and longtime head coach, Stephens was the architect of NBAC's "culture of commitment." His philosophy demanded intense dedication from swimmers and parents alike, creating a high-performance environment that became the club's hallmark. He coached Olympians Theresa Andrews and Anita Nall. ^[6]
• Bob Bowman : Bowman joined NBAC in 1996 and served as the high-performance coach. His partnership with Michael Phelps is one of the most successful in sports history, leading to unprecedented Olympic achievements. Bowman's technical expertise and meticulous planning were instrumental in developing not only Phelps but also other Olympians like Allison Schmitt and Chase Kalisz. He left NBAC with Phelps for the University of Michigan in 2004 but later returned in 2008 before taking the head coaching position at Arizona State University in 2015. ^[14]
• Tom Himes: The current Head Coach and CEO, Himes has been with NBAC for over three decades, serving in various coaching roles. He has been a key figure in maintaining the club's standards of excellence and continuing its tradition of developing elite swimmers. ^[2]

Facilities

NBAC operates out of several locations in the Baltimore metropolitan area, providing access to both 25-yard (short course) and 50-meter (long course) pools. The club's primary training sites are:

• Loyola University Maryland : The Mangione Aquatic Center serves as a key training hub, offering a modern facility for many of the club's training groups.
• Goucher College : The Goucher College pool is another primary site for NBAC practices.
• Gilman School : The Gilman School's pool is utilized for various age-group programs.
• Coppermine (Bel Air): This location in Harford County expands the club's reach to the northeast of Baltimore.

Historically, the club's home was the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center, an outdoor 50-meter pool that was crucial for long-course training. The club also began at the Loyola Blakefield pool, which it still uses on occasion.

Notable alumni

Olympians

NBAC has developed 14 Olympic and Paralympic Athletes with over 50 medals. ^[15]

• Theresa Andrews – Won two gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games (100m backstroke, 4x100m medley relay).
• Patrick Kennedy – Competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
• Anita Nall – Won three medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games: gold (4x100m medley relay), silver (100m breaststroke), and bronze (200m breaststroke).
• Beth Botsford – Won two gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games (100m backstroke, 4x100m medley relay).
• Whitney Metzler – Competed in the 1996 Games (400m individual medley).
• Michael Phelps – Competed in five Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016). He is the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals: 23 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze.
• Katie Hoff – Competed in the 2004 and 2008 Games. Won three medals at the 2008 Beijing Games: silver (400m freestyle) and two bronze (400m individual medley, 4x200m freestyle relay).
• Conor Dwyer – Competed in the 2012 and 2016 Games. Won two gold medals as a member of the 4x200m freestyle relay in both Olympics.
• Allison Schmitt – Competed in three Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016). Won a total of 8 medals: four gold, two silver, and two bronze.
• Yannick Agnel (France) – Trained at NBAC leading up to the 2016 Rio Games. Won two gold medals at the 2012 London Games prior to joining NBAC.
• Chase Kalisz – Competed in the 2016 and 2020 Games. Won a silver medal in 2016 (400m individual medley) and a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games (400m individual medley).

Paralympians

NBAC has also developed some of the most successful Paralympic swimmers in U.S. history.

• Ian Silverman – Competed at the 2012 London Games, winning a gold medal in the 400m freestyle.
• Rebecca Meyers – Competed in three Paralympic Games (2012, 2016, 2020). She has won a total of six medals: three gold, two silver, and one bronze.
• Jessica Long – One of the most decorated Paralympians of all time. She has competed in five Paralympic Games (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) and has won 29 medals, including 16 gold medals. ^[16]

References

1. "Board of Directors". teamunify.com. North Baltimore Aquatic Club. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
3. "2024 Club Excellence Results". USA Swimming. December 13, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
4. "Michael PHELPS II". Olympics.com. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
5. "Where only swimmers' best will do". The Baltimore Sun. August 14, 2008.
6. "Different Strokes". Baltimore Magazine. August 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-08-21. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
7. https://data.usaswimming.org/datahub/clubexcellence
8. Sun, The Baltimore (August 19, 2016). "From the Archives: Phelps and the North Baltimore Aquatic Club had humble beginnings". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
9. https://swimswam.com/nbac-swims-last-practice-at-meadowbrook-pool/
10. "Erik Posegay to Replace Bob Bowman as Head Coach of Famed North Baltimore Aquatic Club". SwimSwam. May 26, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
11. https://swimswam.com/nbac-swims-last-practice-at-meadowbrook-pool/
12. "Tom Himes Has Coached Countless Swimmers to the Peak of Their Potential". Baltimore Magazine. July 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
13. https://www.usaswimming.org/news/2024/10/30/2024-25-club-excellence-results
14. Saslow, Eli (September 26, 2012). "Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps's longtime coach, returns to North Baltimore". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
15. https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/msnbac/page/home
16. "Jessica Long". Team USA. Retrieved July 28, 2025.

External links

• Official site

39°21′57″N76°38′56″W / 39.365729°N 76.648897°W / 39.365729; -76.648897 (North Baltimore Aquatic Club)