Pitt Names Katie Kasprzak Director of Swimming and Diving Amid ‘Strategic Restructuring’
The University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday named Katie Kasprzak as the school’s director of swimming and diving amide a “strategic restricting of the program.”
Kasprzak replaces Chase Kreitler, who resigned abruptly last week over concerns with the program’s direction, despite leading the team to a historic performance in 2026.
Kasprzak will be the program leader, with head coaches hired below her to lead the men’s and women’s teams. The model is, per the Pitt press release, “designed to elevate program operations, coaching and student-athlete development.” Kasprzak’s role will also include, “central role in deepening relationships with alumni and donors, connecting the program’s past to its future and building the philanthropic foundation for long-term growth.”
“I am incredibly grateful to Allen Greene, Blaire Ford and the University of Pittsburgh for this opportunity,” Kasprzak said in a press release. “This program means a great deal to me, and I’m fully committed to building on the strong foundation we have in place. While I’ll continue some coaching responsibilities with diving, this role allows us to better support our student-athletes, coaches, alumni, and donors. My number one priority will be leading a national search for head swimming and head diving coaches who align with our vision and the profile our student-athletes helped define. This structure creates the capacity to lead, mentor, and support at a level the program hasn’t had before. I’m excited to build an environment where coaches can focus on coaching and developing meaningful relationships with our athletes, and I trust that under this new structure, the best is still ahead of Pitt.”
Kasprzak was the program’s diving coach for the last nine seasons. Since 2017, she’s coached 17 divers to 32 NCAA appearances and was the 2024 ACC Men’s Diving Coach of the Year, the first female coach to earn that accolade for either men’s or women’s diving. Pitt sent 12 divers to NCAA Zone Championships in 2026 and five to NCAAs, with Cameron Cash the first diver in program history to qualify in each event all four years.
“Katie has established herself as one of the premier coaches in the country, and what sets her apart goes well beyond the technical side of the sport,” Director of Athletics Allen Greene said. “She is a strategic thinker and a culture builder. She is deeply invested in the total development of our student-athletes academically, athletically and personally. That speaks to the kind of leader and mentor she is, and that is exactly the profile we wanted leading this program. She is a genuine team player and a respected partner throughout our athletics department.
“This restructuring is a deliberate and thoughtful response to the evolving realities of college athletics and the responsibilities placed on coaches today that go well beyond the pool. This role gives Katie the opportunity to apply her expertise and impact across our entire swimming & diving program, and the model we are building around her is one we believe will set a new standard for how programs like ours can operate and compete.”
Kasprzak was the coach of Duke Diving Club, winning 10 national youth titles. The native of Harpenden, England, served as diving technical operations manager for the 2012 London Olympics organizing committee.
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