Coaches
Peter Richardson
Head Men's & Women's Coach Peter Richardson started his swimming career at Buchanan High School and continued with Clovis Swim Club where he helped the Clovis Swim Club men’s team win Summer Junior Nationals in 1999. After high school, Richardson attended University of the Pacific where he earned his Bachelor's degree and teaching credential. While at Pacific, he was the team captain his junior and senior seasons. During those two years, UOP won back-to-back Big West Conference Championships. The UOP team broke a 23-year Big West Conference win streak when they defeated UCSB in 2002 and repeated in 2003. In his senior season, Richardson received the Pacific Leadership Award for all athletics. After college, Richardson was the assistant National Team Coach with Clovis Swim Club and the head men’s & women’s swim coach at Sanger High School where they won four league championships in three years. Richardson earned his Master's degree in 2007. His degree is in teaching with an emphasis on multicultural education in the classroom. Richardson has been the head men's and women's swimming coach at FPU since the program's inception in 2007. In those two years, FPU swimmers have set four national records and have been ranked as high as #2 in the country in both men's and women's swimming. His teams have produced 15 national champions and 21 First Team All-Americans. In 2009, the Fresno Pacific men's swim team finished 2nd in the nation, and the women finished 4th. For his efforts, Richardson was named the 2009 NAIA Men's Swimming National Coach of the Year. Coach Richardson has been married to his wife, Jonelle, for five years. They have a one-year-old daughter, Gabrielle Grace.- Email: peter.richardson@fresno.edu
- Phone: (559)453-3494
Patrick Ota
Assistant Coach Patrick attended UC Santa Barbara, where he swam for four years. While competing for the Gauchos, Ota won the 100 backstroke three times at conference, setting a Big West Conference record of 48.18 in his senior year. He helped UCSB win conference championships in 2004 and 2006. He was a NCAA qualifier in the 100 backstroke in his senior year. Ota graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a bachelors degree in Film Studies in 2006. Ota is an alum of Immanuel High School in Reedley, CA. He swam with Raisin Country Aquatics, and was a four-time CIF champion and six-time High School All-American. He was also a five-time national qualifier, finishing as high as 16th in the 100 backstroke in 2004. Ota has coached for two seasons at FPU. He was the co-head men's coach at Immanuel High School in 2007, and the junior varsity men's coach at San Marcos High School in 2006. In addition to his role as assistant men's and women's swimming coach at FPU, Ota is the national team coach for Raisin Country Aquatics, as well as a writer for FPU's Sports Information office.- Email: patrickota@gmail.com
- Phone: (559)453-3494
