Courtesy: Findlay Athletics
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay department of athletics announced the promotion of Diego Santos as their new head swimming and diving coach on June 15, 2023.
“I am thrilled to announce Diego Santos as the new head coach of our esteemed swimming and diving program,” said Director of Athletics Jim Givens. “Diego’s passion for the sport, coupled with his exceptional coaching skills, make him the perfect candidate to lead our team to new heights. His unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, both in and out of the pool, will undoubtedly inspire our student-athletes to achieve their full potential. With Diego at the helm, I have complete confidence that our program will continue to thrive and produce champions.”
Santos has spent the past four seasons as the assistant coach of the Oilers men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams. Prior to that role, Santos served as both a graduate assistant and volunteer assistant for the Oilers swimming and diving programs.
During his time at Findlay, Santos has assisted in building the Oilers swimming and diving program into one of the best in the Midwest. Under his guidance, he has coached his athletes to 84 NCAA Division II all-American honors, 23 on the women’s side and 61 on the men’s side. He was also instrumental in helping lead the Oilers to five consecutive Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) championships with the men and two with the women.
“I am extremely honored to be given this amazing opportunity to become the new head coach of the swimming and diving program at UF,” said Diego Santos. “I look forward to August and having the team back on campus. I look forward to continuing to improve our tradition of success not only in the pool but also in the classroom. We have an amazing group of highly talented student-athletes, and I look forward to helping them grow into the best version of themselves.”
The 2023 season saw many great successes including the second national champion in program history. Standout Daniel Garcia won the 2023 Division II National Championship in the 200 breaststroke with a school record time of 1:54.51, finishing a half-second ahead of the field. The men went on to finish seventh in the country, the highest finish in program history and two spots higher than a season ago. Findlay’s women ended the championship in 23rd place, the team’s highest finish at nationals since 2016 when they finished 18th.
During the 2021 season, the Oilers swimming and diving program saw the crowning of their first ever Division II National Champion in Tim Stollings as he took home an individual title in the 100-yard butterfly. His time of 45.57 was the third-fastest time in Division II history. The swim also set new school records and broke the G-MAC record as well. Stollings would later qualify for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Santos graduated from the University of Findlay in 2017 with a degree in sport and event management and later earned his master’s degree in organizational leadership in 2019. While at Findlay, Santos was a four-year letter winner on the swimming and diving team. During his college career he was a school and pool record holder. He also served as captain during his junior and senior seasons.