Pacific University Director of Athletics Ken Schumann has announced the hiring of Beth Whittle as the new head coach of the Pacific men's and women's swimming program.
 
"I am honored to return to the Northwest Conference and become the new head coach of the men's and women's swimming program at Pacific University," said Whittle. "I want to thank athletic director Ken Schumann for this great opportunity. From my first visit to campus, I immediately noticed a sense of community. Pacific University provides great potential for success, strong academic programs and a beautiful campus."

"I am excited to welcome Beth Whittle to Pacific Athletics as our Head Coach for Men's and Women's Swimming," said Schumann. "Beth is an excellent coach and mentor and I am confident that she will lead our swimming programs to great success in the future."
    
Whittle returns to the Pacific Northwest after spending nearly the last eight years as the head men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has led the team to 17 school records as a head coach, a women's team that competed in three NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships and a finish as high as 19^th in the nation. Also at Macalester, she worked concurrently in the admissions office along with the athletic department.
 
Prior to Macalester, she served as an assistant coach at one of the top NCAA Division III programs at Washington University in St. Louis for four years. During her tenure, the women were in the top 15 all four years and men were in the top 18. Twice, the coaching staff was recognized as the conference Women's Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
Whittle also has NCAA Division I experience as she served as an assistant coach at the University of Washington in Seattle. In two years with the Huskies, she designed and implemented training plans, created and conducted workouts primarily for middle distance (IM, breast, fly, back) swimmers. She was also involved in the recruiting, academic progress, fundraising and community engagement activities.
 
The 1997 graduate of Linfield College, she was inducted into the Athletic Department Hall of Fame in 2011. She was the 1996 NAIA National Champion in the 200-yard backstroke, the Linfield College Woman Athlete of the Year for 1994. She was a 20-time All-American and winner of 11 Northwest Conference titles. Whittle was named the Northwest Conference Female Swimmer of the Year in 1995 and co-winner in 1997.
 
Whittle is anxious to begin her duties at Pacific. "I can hardly wait to get started preparing for the season, coaching, and recruiting talented young women and men to Pacific University," said the veteran coach. "I'm looking forward to working with the Pacific University student-athletes and am excited to be part of the Boxer Department of Athletics." She will begin her duties at Pacific on August 20.