Washington State University Athletics tabbed Russell Whitaker to lead the Cougars’ Women’s Swimming program, Director of Athletics Anne McCoy announced May 23, 2024.
Whitaker worked the previous seven seasons as the Director of Operations and added assistant coach duties prior to the 2023-24 season. Since coming to WSU in 2017, Whitaker has been on staffs who have produced 10 NCAA selections, seven Mountain West titles and one Pac-12 individual champion.
In his first season leading the Cougars, Whitaker saw 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. Whitaker saw junior Emily Lundgren earn All-America honors in two events while finishing sixth in the 200 breast for the best NCAA finish by a Coug swimmer in program history. Lundgren was named the Mountain West Conference Swimmer of the Year, ten swimmers and four relays earned all-league honors after WSU claimed five individual titles and two relay championships while four swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors led by Lundgren who was also named Academic All-America.
In 2023-24 as an assistant coach, Whitaker helped a pair of Cougar swimmers earn spots in the NCAA Championships, saw Emily Lundgren medal twice at the Pac-12 Championships and later became WSU’s first All-American since 2007. Additionally, Lundgren was also named an Academic All-American, four swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors and 16 were named to the Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Over the previous six years, Whitaker served as the head club coach for Cougar Aquatics where he produced athletes who have qualified for local championships, Senior & Age Group Zones, Sectionals, Futures, Winter & Summer Junior Nationals, TYR Pro Swim Series, Winter National Qualifiers and U.S. Olympic Trials. Cougar Aquatics has also produced four Scholar All-Americans and one swimmer selected to attend the prestigious 2022 National Select Camp.
For his extensive work at the local and national level, Whitaker was recognized as the Inland Empire Swimming coach of the year in 2022. He also served on the USA Swimming National Select Camp staff for the 2022 women’s team as the Assistant Manager and was the Manager for the boy’s (13-16) team in 2023 where he worked alongside some of the top swimmers and coaches across the country. Russell is a member of the American Swim Coaches Association where he is currently a Performance Level 4 certified coach – placing him within the top 10% of coaches in the country.
Whitaker graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and earned his Master’s in Athletic Administration from Ohio University in 2020.
Whitaker and his wife, Hanna reside in Pullman.
