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

Pitt has added Austin Pillado to its coaching staff as an associate head swimming coach, the school announced on Tuesday. Pillado arrives at Pitt after spending the last two seasons at Washington State where he began as an assistant coach and was promoted to associate head coach.

Pillado is the latest addition to the new-look Pitt coaching staff that underwent a program restructuring this offseason. Former Head Swimming and Diving Coach Chase Kreitler resigned from his position at the start of May as the program was going in a “different strategic direction.” The school promoted its diving coach Katie Kasprzak to Director of Swimming & Diving. Just yesterday, the school added Josh Larcom as head diving coach as another member of the diving staff. Ian Walsh, who most recently was head swimming and diving coach at Marshall, has been named head swimming coach.

“Austin Pillado is an incredible addition to our staff,” said 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 before the start of the 2024-2025 season. During the last two seasons, the Washington State women swam to a 15-0 dual meet record. Those were their first two undefeated dual meet seasons in history. The school set 29 school records over the last two years.

Primarily working with the sprint and breaststroke groups, the team sent numerous swimmers to the 2025 and 2026 NCAA Championships. Breaststroker Emily Lundgren scored 14 individual points at the 2025 NCAA Championships as she was 6th in the 200 breast (2:06.18) and 16th in the 100 breast (59.17). Sprinter Darcy Revitt swam in prelims of the 50 and 100 freestyles while Dori Hathazi swam in prelims of the 100 free and 200 fly.

Lundgren and Revitt returned to NCAAs this past season, combining for three points. Lundgren was 15th in the 200 breast while Revitt was 16th in the 100 free.

Prior to his time at Washington State, Pillado was an assistant coach with Arizona State during the 2023-2024 season. The Arizona State men captured the 2024 NCAA Championship and were led by Leon Marchand. He primarily worked with the breaststroke group and also assisted with some of the pro sprinters including Simone Manuel, Ryan Held and Olivia Smoliga.

Before Arizona State, Pillado spent two seasons at Penn State. He also has had prior coaching stops at Saginaw Valley State and Texas A&M where he began his career as a volunteer assistant. He earned a master’s degree in sports management during his time at Texas A&M.

Pillado spent his collegiate career at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia. There he was named the program’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2016. He also ran track for one season.