In 2023-2024, Southward enters his first season as an assistant coach with the Runnin' Bulldogs after spending the 2022-2023 season as head coach at Saint Leo University.
Southward took over St. Leo's program in May of 2022 after completing the previous season as interim head coach. During Southward's tutelage, nine St. Leo swimmers earned All-America honors at the 2022 NCAA Division II National Championships.
In total, Southward spent two seasons at his alma mater, starting as a graduate assistant coach in the fall of 2021.
Prior to his coaching career, Southward swam at Saint Leo from 2016-2020, serving as a team captain in both his junior and senior seasons. He was a member of the school record-holding 400-freestyle relay team which posted a mark of 2:57.06 at the 2018 national championships. Southward earned All-America honors at that meet and was also part of the 200-freestyle relay team that finished 11th nationally.
Additionally, Southward spent his summers as a coach in Pennsylvania developing youth swimmers at the Woodridge Swim Club in 2018 and 2019.
Southward graduated from Saint Leo in May of 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in marketing.
