Providence College has hired Anthony Randall as its next head coach. Randall most recently spent time as the head coach at Marist University and fills the position previously held by John O’Neill who announced his retirement in March. O’Neill had been with the program for 36 years, from 1984-2001 and once again from 2007 until March 2026.
“I am truly honored and excited to join Providence College as the head swimming coach,” Randall said. “Providence is a special place with a strong tradition of excellence, and I am grateful to the administration and leadership for the opportunity to be a part of this community. I want to thank everyone involved in the process for their trust and support. I am especially excited for the opportunity to build upon the incredible legacy that John O’Neill has established throughout his distinguished career. His impact on the program, its student-athletes and the broader Providence community has been extraordinary, and I have tremendous respect for all that he has accomplished. I look forward to learning from the strong foundation he has created and working with our student-athletes and staff to continue moving the program forward.”
Randall has been the head coach of Marist University since June 2021. Both the Marist men and women finished 2nd at the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships. The Marist men captured the 2024 MAAC crown, and Randall earned MAAC Men’s Coach of the Year that same season.
Prior to his time at Marist, Randall spent five seasons at Fresno State. He spent his first three seasons there as an assistant and was promoted to associate head coach for his final two seasons there. He helped coach the team to their highest conference finish and point total in school history. Before Fresno State, Randall was an associate head coach at Rhode Island from 2011-2016.
Randall graduated from Rhode Island in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/Public Relations. He was a member of the men’s varsity program before the program got cut in 2008. URI’s campus is about 40 minutes away from Providence’s.
The Providence men’s program finished 5th out of five teams while the women’s program finished 7th out of seven teams at the 2026 Big East Championships.
