A familiar face is returning to Brophy College Prep in Phoenix.
Brophy announced on Thursday that it has rehired Patrick O’Neill as its head swimming and diving coach.
O’Neill replaces his former assistant Daren Brubaker, who led Brophy to the 2024 AIA Division I state championship in 2024 and was the head coach since 2018.
“I’m extremely excited about returning to Brophy, I feel like I’m coming home,” O’Neill said in a release. “I look forward to working with these young men and renewing my connections with the Brophy community.
O’Neill returns to Brophy after spending the last seven years at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, where he was a teacher and coach.
O’Neill had a legendary head coaching run at Brophy from 2006 to 2018, leading the Broncos to 12 state championships and not losing a single dual meet, invitational or state meet.
According to an article in “The Roundup,” Brophy College’s student newspaper, O’Neill left Brophy back in 2018 for financial reasons.
Nearing retirement age at the time, Brophy wanted to get back into public schools and the state’s retirement system, which provides a monthly annuity.
In addition to once again presiding over the swim program, O’Neill will rejoin the faculty at Brophy.
Before joining Brophy in 2006, O’Neill was the head coach at Mesa Mountain View, where he helped that school to five runner-up finishes behind Brophy each time.
O’Neill was named the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s National Swim Coach of the Year for 2013-14.
O’Neill comes back to a Brophy program that snapped a five-year state championship drought last November by winning the state title. Boys swimming is a fall sport in Arizona.
Congratulations, Pat. Keep coaching well and providing valuable leadership to young men growing through important times.
Pat has been important to my family over many years, with my sons both swimming for him at Mountain View. And more recently Pat (Boys) joined with my son Ben (Girls) as the Red Mountain swim staff. I’ve never had anything but appreciation for his example to my sons.
Thanks, Pat.