David Durden, head men's swimming and diving coach of the 2014 NCAA champion Golden Bears, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior (6:56 p.m.) to the Oakland A’s game versus the Texas Rangers Tuesday night (April 22) at O.co Coliseum.
Durden, who will be accompanied by his national championship squad at the Coliseum, has led the Cal men’s swimming and diving program to NCAA team titles in three of the last four years and was named the NCAA Coach of the Meet for the fourth time in his career by the CSCAA (College Swimming Coaches Association of America).
The Bears were able to upend host Texas March 29 in Austin, Texas by outscoring the Longhorns, 468.5-417.5, in their own pool. Cal also outscored Pac-12 foes Arizona (seventh), USC (eighth) and Stanford (ninth) during the NCAA championships and has been undefeated in dual meets the past two years, accumulating a 15-0 mark while also winning back-to-back conference meets for the first time since 1980 and 1981.
Since taking over the Cal program from legendary coach Nort Thornton in 2008, Durden has produced 18 individual national champions and has seen 12 relays win NCAA crowns. He has also guided Cal swimmers to 32 Pac-12 titles and 17 conference relay titles and was named the Pac-12 men’s swimming coach of the year for the fifth consecutive season in 2014.
In addition, Durden is renowned for training former Bears and gold medalists Natalie Coughlin, Nathan Adrian, and Anthony Ervin, among others. The A's are managed by former Cal baseball player Bob Melvin.
