PULLMAN, Wash. (July 1, 2025) – Washington State Swimming's Austin Pillado has been promoted to Associate Head Coach, head coach Russell Whitaker announced Monday.
 
In his first season with the Cougars, Pillado helped WSU post a perfect 8-0 record in dual meets, tying the record for single-season wins and the first undefeated season in program history. Three Cougars earned trips to the NCAA Championships, marking just the second in program history with three NCAA selections. Pillado coached freshman Darcy Revitt who qualified for the NCAA Championships while winning a pair of Mountain West Conference titles in the 50 free and 100 free along with helping the 200 medley relay team to a title as well. Revitt finished her first collegiate season earning Co-Freshman of the Meet at the Mountain West Conference Championships, recorded 12 individual wins, set two individual school records, four school relay records and earned All-Mountain West honors in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 medley relay.
 
Pillado saw ten Cougar swimmers and four relays earn All-Mountain West honors after WSU claimed five individual titles and two relay championships while four swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors.
 
"I am excited to announce the promotion of Austin Pillado to Associate Head Coach for our program," Whitaker said. "Austin has been an invaluable member of our program and a right hand man with our program, he brings innovation and excitement, and his immediate impact on our sprinters has been seen nationally. I am extremely excited for his future and to see what we can continue to build in Pullman for our swim program and providing the best student athlete experience for our athletes, our fans, and much more!"
 
Pillado came to Pullman after working the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach on the National Champion Arizona State Men's Swimming and Diving Teams and working the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Penn State.
 
Pillado served as an assistant coach with the Arizona State Swimming program in 2023-24, which saw the women finish No. 24 nationally and the men claimed their first National Championship in program history. The Sun Devil men were also crowned the 2024 Pac-12 champions for the second year in a row. Pillado primarily trained the breaststroke group, which saw four men go under the 52-second barrier, and assisted with the sprint group in Tempe. Pillado was able to work with some of the best athletes in the world, ranging from Simone Manuel, Ryan held, and Olivia Smoliga within the professional group at Arizona State.