TUCSON, Ariz. — Former Arizona staff member Peter Richardson, who helped guide the Wildcats distance swimmers from 2019–22, has been hired as an associate head coach for Arizona Swimming & Diving, head coach Ben Loorz announced on Thursday.
 
"I'd like to welcome coach Richardson back to the Wildcat family! His passion for the University of Arizona, and for the student-athletes, always shines through," Loorz said. "He's a world-class recruiter and a high-integrity coach. I know the swimmers are going to love his energy and will immediately benefit from his vast experience and knowledge."
 
Following three years in Tucson, Richardson logged a successful two-year stint in Los Angeles with the USC Trojans. During the 2023-24 season under Richardson's guidance the USC women achieved a runner-up finish at the Pac-12 Championships and placed eighth at the NCAA Championships. The Trojan women's perfect 9-0 record in dual meet competition last year was their first undefeated mark in program history. Richardson's mark extended internationally at USC as well, as he oversaw the training of four Olympic A-cut qualifiers while with the Trojans; all four will compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
 
"Coach Loorz does things the right way and we have always talked about teaming up. I could not be more excited to return to this special place," Richardson said. "Arizona is one of only six men's and seven women's teams who have won an NCAA Team Championship since 2000 — this is a place we can win. Arizona has world-class facilities, world-class tradition, and we're going to make sure to recruit and develop in that same fashion!"
 
Last August, Richardson was the head coach for Team USA at the World University Games in Chengdu, China. There he led Team USA to 33 finals and seven medals, representing nearly one third of all Team USA medals won. Richardson's guidance helped steer Keaton Jones to a gold medal in the 200 back, the only gold medal won by the entire Team USA delegation.
 
During his first tenure with the Wildcats, coach Richardson helped fuel three successful campaigns for the Arizona distance swimmers, highlighted by a pair of Pac-12 Championships by Brooks Fail in the 1650 free event.
 
The Wildcats distance group picked up three NCAA A-cuts and nine B-cuts under Richardson's guidance during the 2021–22 season. The year prior, during the 2020–21 season, Richardson helped Fail accomplish one of the best individual NCAA Championship performances in program history; Fail placed third in the 500 free, fourth in the 1650 free, and eighth in the 200 fly. Fail's career-best time of 14:31.38 in the 1650 free broke a 22-year-old school record and his 4:09.41 mark in the 500 free went down as the 13th fastest time by a man in world history.
 
Richardson achieved success immediately at Arizona during the 2019–22 season, his first with the Wildcats. The Arizona men finished second at the Pac-12 Championships, tied for the highest finish in program history. The Wildcats distance crew qualified four individuals for the NCAA Championships that year.
 
Prior to his first stop in Tucson, Richardson spent seven seasons as the head coach at the University of the Pacific. During his time with the Tigers an incredible 73 school records were established and in 2018 the program was one of just two programs in the nation to achieve an NCAA A-cut relay time without a full allotment of scholarships.
 
He began his coaching career at Fresno Pacific University, where as the head swimming coach he led the men's side to back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2010 and 2011, along with a women's NAIA National Championship in 2012.
 
Richardson swam collegiately at the University of the Pacific, where as a team captain he helped the Tigers seal back-to-back Big West Championships in his junior and senior campaigns.
 
Richardson is joined in Tucson by his wife, Jonelle, and his four children Gabrielle, Brooklynn, Peter, and Juliette.