Washington State Opens 2024-25 Season With Trip To Fresno State Invite

Courtesy: WSU Athletics

2024 Fresno State Invite

• Fresno, Calif. | Aquatics Center
• 11 a.m. / 6 p.m. | Friday | October 4, 2024
• 10 a.m. | Saturday | October 5, 2024
• WATCH & LIVE STATS | wsucougars.com

COUGARS OPEN 2024-25 SEASON WITH TRIP TO FRESNO STATE INVITE

Washington State Swimming opens the season with a trip to California for the Fresno State Invite Friday and Saturday. In addition to the hosts Fresno State, San Jose State, San Diego State and Hawai’i will also make up the field. The meet will be webstreamed through themw.com and live results will be available on Meet Mobile.

LAST SEASON AT FRESNO STATE INVITE

Washington State opened last season finishing third at Fresno State Invite, closing the opening day with a win in the 800 free relay as Mira Szimcsak, Dori Hathazi, Angela Di Palo and Madison Parker posted the win nearly five seconds ahead of the second-place team. The Cougars dominated the 500 free, claiming four of the top six spots led by sophomore Dori Hathazi who earned WSU’s first win of the season. In Saturday’s eight events, the Cougars finished in the Top-3 seven times including wins in the 400 free relay, the 1650 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and 400 free relay. Freshman Mira Szimcsak later picked up her first collegiate win, claiming the 1650 free before Emily Lundgren won the 200 breast. In the 200 fly, Hathazi claimed the event with Sam Krew close behind in sixth. WSU closed the day with a win in the 400 free relay by Noelle Harvey, Krew, Hathazi and Parker.

COUGAR SWIMMING JOINS MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

Washington State University Athletics entered into a conference affiliation agreement to have their baseball and women’s swimming programs participate in the Mountain West Conference, it was announced April 16. The agreement began July 1, 2024. “Finding a home for our baseball and women’s swimming programs has been a top priority for our athletic department and we appreciate the efforts of so many to get to this point,” said WSU Interim Director of Athletics Anne McCoy. “This agreement offers both programs a competitive schedule in a west coast-based conference while providing a championship path for coming seasons.

LUNDGREN IS WSU’S FIRST ALL-AMERICAN SINCE 2007

Emily Lundgren capped her sophomore campaign earning the program’s first All-American honor since 2007 after finishing 14th in the country in the 200 Breast at the 2024 NCAA Championships. In the morning prelims, Lundgren broke her own school record with a 2:07.30, besting the 2:07.44 she set at the Pac-12 Conference Championships. Lundgren’s morning time tied for eighth-best in the country and came up just short in a “swimoff” for the eighth and final spot in the national final. The Chula Vista, Calif. native closed here season finishing 14th in the country to earn All-American Honorable Mention, WSU’s first All-American swimmer since Erin McCleave in 2007. Fellow sophomore Dori Hathazi competed in the 200 fly for the second straight season and posted a 1:56.71 to finish No. 36 nationally. WSU tied for 40th in the country with Houston and Miami in the final point totals.

PROGRAM RECORD SIX COUGS NAMED CSCAA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA

A program record six Washington State Swimmers were named CSCAA Academic All-America led by Emily Lundgren who was named to the first team by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). Lundgren was named a CSCAA Academic All-American while Anna Rauchholz, Kiana Swain, Alexandra Vartiainen, Ariel Wang and Lauren Wille each earned second-team honors, the most Academic All-Americans in program history. To qualify for First-Team Scholar All-America, student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher and participated in their national championship. Second-Team selections, must have also earned a 3.5 GPA or higher and met a “B” time standard for the national championship or qualified for a diving zone qualification meet.

FOUR COUGARS EARN CSC ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT ACCOLADES

Four Washington State Swimmers were named CSC Academic All-District by the College Sports Communicators last season. WSU had four selections for the second straight season as senior Josie Liebzeit, junior Samantha Krew and sophomores Emily Lundgren and Anna Rauchholz each received the honor recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in the pool and in the classroom.

RECORD-SETTING DUO HEADED BACK TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Last season, Dori Hathazi and Emily Lundgren headed back to the NCAA Championships. The sophomore duo was the first set of Cougar teammates to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the back-to-back seasons in program history and gave WSU an NCAA Championship qualifier in the last five seasons (2020 NCAA’s were cancelled) with seven swimmers qualifying over that stretch. Lundgren qualified to swim the 200 IM, 100 breast and 200 breast while Hathazi will compete in the 200 fly. The season prior, the same two swimmers were the first Cougar freshmen to qualify for the NCAA Championships in program history. Previous Cougar swimmers to qualify for the NCAA Championships multiple times were Erin Eldridge (1998-2000), Erin McCleave (2006-07), Michael Ahlin (2009-10) and Chloe Larson (2021-22).

COUGS RIPPED UP RECORD BOOKS AT PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Washington State produced one of the most impressive performances in the program history at the 2024 Pac-12 Conference Championships. The Cougars recorded 21 WSU Top-10 times including six school records and a pair of medals while as a team, WSU totaled 498.5 points for the second-most points since 1987 (Pac-10/12 era). Sophomore Emily Lundgren broke three school records including the 200 IM (1:58.94), 100 breast (59.45) and 200 breast (2:07.44) while the Chula Vista, Calif. native claimed second in the Pac-12 in the 100 breast and third in the 200 breast. Sophomore Anna Rauchholz posted a 53.39 in the 100 back to break the school record, freshman Mira Szimcsak broke the school record in the 500 free, sophomore Dori Hathazi broke her own 200 fly record in the Pac-12 Championships morning prelims and followed up with an even better swim in the evening final, posting a 1:54.87.

RUSSELL WHITAKER NAMED COUGAR SWIMMING HEAD COACH

Washington State University Athletics has tabbed Russell Whitaker to lead the Cougars’ Women’s Swimming program, Interim Director of Athletics Anne McCoy announced May 23. Whitaker has worked the past seven seasons as the Director of Operations and added assistant coach duties this past season. Since coming to WSU in 2017, Whitaker has been on staffs who have produced seven NCAA selections, four Top-3 finishers at the Pac-12 Conference Championships and one Pac-12 individual champion.

“We couldn’t be happier to name Russ Whitaker the new women’s swimming head coach at Washington State University!,” said McCoy. “Russ has been an incredibly important part of the success our team has had over the past seven seasons. Since joining WSU in fall 2017, he has worked with every aspect of WSU’s swim program, in addition to being involved with the sport locally and nationally through USA Swimming. With Russ’ unbridled enthusiasm, his commitment to student-athlete success in and out of the pool, and the respect he’s earned from everyone around him including current and former student-athletes, the future of Cougar Swimming is bright.”

“I am honored and humbled to begin the journey as the next Head Coach of Washington State University Swimming,” said Whitaker. “I would like to thank President Kirk Schulz, Interim Director of Athletics Anne McCoy, and Deputy Director of Athletics Brad Corbin for entrusting this program to me and my vision for its future. Our work as a program begins now to build on our prior successes and continue to build momentum going into this new era of WSU Swimming. I look forward to finding individuals who are ready and eager to come to WSU and be a part of something bigger than themselves.”

TYLOR MATHIEU NAMED COUGAR SWIMMING ASSISTANT COACH

Tylor Mathieu was named an assistant coach for the Washington State Swimming program, head coach Russell Whitaker announced June 20. Mathieu comes to Pullman after a standout swimming career at the University of Florida and working this past season as student manager for the Gator’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams. Mathieu had a decorated swimming career at Florida where she was a six-time All-American, a four-time Academic All-American, helped UF to an SEC Championship in 2023 and competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 free, 800 free and 100 breast. “I could not be more excited to bring Tylor Mathieu to Pullman to assist with our program,” said Whitaker who was named the Cougars’ Head Coach May 23. “Tylor’s experience as a student-athlete and as a manager at Florida will be invaluable to us as a program. More than that, Tylor is passionate about the sport, is extremely motivated, and has a work ethic that is hard to rival. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Tylor from coaches, peers, and administrators and can’t wait for her to get to Pullman!” Last season Mathieu worked with the Gator’s men’s and swimming’s swimming and diving teams as a student manager where she organized team sponsored events while working with the director of operations and also assisted with the team’s social media coverage. “I am honored and thrilled to receive this opportunity to join the coaching staff at Washington State University!” Mathieu said. “I would like to thank Russ Whitaker, Anne McCoy, and Brad Corbin for putting their trust in me. I am excited to continue the development of the distance program and collaborate with the rest of the staff to ensure our student-athletes are competing to the best of their abilities. I can’t wait to move to Pullman and to get to work! Go Cougs!” This past spring Mathieu, a native of Hebron, Conn., graduated with a degree in psychology with a minor in education and earned a sport management certificate.

AUSTIN PILLADO NAMED COUGAR SWIMMING ASSISTANT COACH

Austin Pillado was named an assistant coach for the Washington State Swimming program, head coach Russell Whitaker announced July 2. Pillado comes to Pullman after working last 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. “Austin is extremely innovative and brings an exciting twist to training. His experience at multiple power-5 ranked programs, and his experience at Arizona State with a national title under his belt, makes him extremely qualified to help lead Cougar Swimming into the future,” said Whitaker who was named the Cougars’ Head Coach May 23. “Austin will be an immediate asset to not only our sprint and breast stroke groups, but to our team and recruiting as well! “Austin is one of the brightest young coaches in the country and has a promising future in this sport. From our first conversation, Austin has been extremely detailed and thoughtful in not only what he can do for this program, but all that is possible with this program, and what we will achieve in the near future as a team.” Pillado served as an assistant coach with the Arizona State Swimming program last season, 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. “I am very excited to join the Cougar family & program at Washington State University,” Pillado said. “I would like to thank Russ Whitaker, Anne McCoy, and Brad Corbin for this amazing opportunity. I am looking forward to developing this team to achieve success at the highest level possible, both in and out of the pool. The vision that Russ and the entire athletic department have for this program is amazing, and I cannot wait to help this dream become a reality! Go Cougs!” In his time with the Nittany Lions, Pillado worked primarily with the sprint freestylers and breaststrokers where PSU broke nine school records. In 2022-23 at NCAA Championships, Pillado coached Victor Baganha to an All-American finish in the 100 fly and the first All-American in that event for Penn State in 20 years. Pillado swam at Davis and Elkins College from 2013-17 and also competed in one season of track and field in 2017. Pillado graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management/Athletic Training in 2017 from Davis and Elkins College along with a master’s degree in Sports Management from Texas A&M in 2020.