The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorn Hall of Honor: Tiffany Cohen
11.18.2009 | Texas Athletics
Nov. 18, 2009
Tiffany Cohen owned the world even before she stepped onto The University of Texas campus.
The summer before her freshman campaign with the Longhorns, Cohen won gold medals in the 400- and 800-meter freestyle events at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and captured both races with Olympic-record times.
Those feats merely foreshadowed an equally impressive collegiate career, as Cohen glided through the waters to become one of the top distance freestyle swimmers in UT's decorated swimming history.
After an early career full of individual accomplishments, Cohen was ready to transition to UT's tight-knit community of Longhorns.
"The thing I remember looking forward to about Texas, before I even got there, was the camaraderie among the team," Cohen said. "It was a pretty perfect group of women that we had. We spent more time with each other than we did our families for that period of time. It was a welcome change for me."
Perhaps, if anything, Cohen's already-established worldwide reputation of excellence rubbed off on the Longhorns. UT won the NCAA team championship in 1984-85, as Cohen also won NCAA individual crowns in the 500-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle as a freshman. UT won two more team titles over the next two seasons, with Cohen earning seven additional All-America honors along the way.
"It was such an incredible experience to be part of a winning team," Cohen said. "We were so close, and that's what made it so special. Everybody contributed."
Cohen came to the Longhorns, however, with a competitive edge that had already been sharpened through competition on the world's grandest stages. She performed with a skill level that allowed her to be as versatile as she was dominant.
In 1982, Cohen captured U.S. national championships in the 500-meter, 1,000-meter and 1,650-meter freestyle events, and later that year, won bronze in the 400-meter freestyle at the FINA World Championships.
Gold medals in the 400- and 800-meter freestyle events at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela led to Cohen being named Swimming World Magazine's American Swimmer of the Year.
And then came Cohen's tear through the Olympics.
"One of the ways I think about the Olympics is knowing that I was lucky enough at a young age to find my talent," Cohen said. "And then I was blessed with coaches along the way who helped me so much."
Just a few months later, Cohen began her reign with the Longhorns, but Cohen's swimming career was cut short with a shoulder injury. She retired in 1988 just prior to her senior season at UT.
Cohen earned her bachelor's degree in psychology in 1992 from San Diego State University, and currently resides in Davie, Florida.
But Cohen is still competing. Last February, Cohen started training for triathlons, and already has a handful of top-five finishes among her age-group competitors.
"With my personality, I love to compete, so it's recreational but I really want to be competitive in the coming season," Cohen said.
Cohen's two teenage children also recently began swimming competitively on teams, so training, Cohen says, "has turned into a way of life for us."
"For me, it's a way to stay active and healthy," Cohen said. "I'd really like to do the Hawaii Ironman one day."
Right now, Cohen is content to just return to Austin. Her visit for this weekend's induction ceremonies will take her back to the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center for the first time in more than 20 years.
"I haven't even been on campus since I left, so it's going to be a trip," Cohen said. "It's a dream come true. To be honored now, 20-something years after I left UT, it's so gratifying."
