Pitt Provides Austin Pillado From Washington State As Associate Head Swim Coach

Pitt has added Austin Pillado to its teaching workers as an affiliate head swimming coach, the college introduced on Tuesday. Pillado arrives at Pitt after spending the final two seasons at Washington State the place he started as an assistant coach and was promoted to affiliate head coach.

Pillado is the newest addition to the new-look Pitt teaching workers that underwent a program restructuring this offseason. Former Head Swimming and Diving Coach Chase Kreitler resigned from his place in the beginning of May as this system was stepping into a “different strategic direction.” The faculty promoted its diving coach Katie Kasprzak to Director of Swimming & Diving. Just yesterday, the college added Josh Larcom as head diving coach as one other member of the diving workers. Ian Walsh, who most just lately was head swimming and diving coach at Marshall, has been named head swimming coach.

“Austin Pillado is an incredible addition to our staff,” mentioned Kasprzak. “He brings experience at the highest level of the sport from his time with an NCAA Championship-winning program to coaching athletes on the international stage. As a sprint coach, his technical expertise in the pool is exceptional, but what sets Austin apart is the genuine relationships he builds with his student-athletes. His passion and athlete-centered approach make him exactly what we were looking for in an associate head coach. We are excited to welcome him to the Pitt family.”

Pillado arrived at Washington State earlier than the beginning of the 2024-2025 season. During the final two seasons, the Washington State girls swam to a 15-0 twin meet document. Those have been their first two undefeated twin meet seasons in historical past. The faculty set 29 faculty data over the past two years.

Primarily working with the dash and breaststroke teams, the crew despatched quite a few swimmers to the 2025 and 2026 NCAA Championships. Breaststroker Emily Lundgren scored 14 particular person factors on the 2025 NCAA Championships as she was sixth within the 200 breast (2:06.18) and sixteenth within the 100 breast (59.17). Sprinter Darcy Revitt swam in prelims of the 50 and 100 freestyles whereas Dori Hathazi swam in prelims of the 100 free and 200 fly.

Lundgren and Revitt returned to NCAAs this previous season, combining for 3 factors. Lundgren was fifteenth within the 200 breast whereas Revitt was sixteenth within the 100 free.

Prior to his time at Washington State, Pillado was an assistant coach with Arizona State through the 2023-2024 season. The Arizona State males captured the 2024 NCAA Championship and have been led by Leon Marchand. He primarily labored with the breaststroke group and likewise assisted with a few of the professional sprinters together with Simone Manuel, Ryan Held and Olivia Smoliga.

Before Arizona State, Pillado spent two seasons at Penn State. He additionally has had prior teaching stops at Saginaw Valley State and Texas A&M the place he started his profession as a volunteer assistant. He earned a grasp’s diploma in sports activities administration throughout his time at Texas A&M.

Pillado spent his collegiate profession at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia. There he was named this system’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2016. He additionally ran observe for one season.