Azusa Pacific University has selected Tim Kyle as the new head coach of the Cougars' emerging women's swimming and diving program, which enters its fourth year as a varsity program in the 2011-12 school year after posting a program-best fifth-place NAIA finish in the 2011 national championship meet.
Kyle comes to Azusa Pacific from Citrus College, where he coached the Owls' men's swimming and diving program for 12 seasons and was named the 2009 Western State Conference Coach of the Year. He led Citrus to second place at the WSC Championships, which was the program's best conference finish since it won the league title in 1992.
Kyle took over the women's swimming and diving program for three seasons through 2010, and he was also the women's water polo head coach for four seasons (2007-10). He has taught physical education courses at Citrus College and Azusa Pacific, and he is the head swim pro at Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena.
"Tim has a proven track record as a college coach, and we are excited to see how he continues to develop our swimming and diving program," Azusa Pacific's incoming Director of Athletics Gary Pine said. "He is already familiar with the area and with Azusa Pacific University, and we are fortunate to bring an accomplished coach like him into our athletics program."
The program Kyle inherits at Azusa Pacific is quickly rising up the NAIA ranks, posting seven finishes at each national meet in the program's first three seasons. The Cougars claimed seventh place in their inaugural 2009 season, moved to sixth place in 2010 and improved to fifth place at the 2011 meet in March.
"I am very focused on helping provide the entire student-athlete experience Azusa Pacific offers," Kyle said. "I want the student-athletes who compete here to know they made the right decision to come to Azusa Pacific, because it helped them become a stronger athlete, a stronger Christian, and that they are able to be more successful in life as a result of being part of the program."
Kyle participated in swimming and water polo as a student-athlete at Citrus College, transferring to University of La Verne to complete his undergraduate degree in 1997. He then earned a master's in education from Azusa Pacific in 1998 while he began his collegiate coaching career. Kyle, who also played soccer during his two years at La Verne, coached the Citrus women's soccer team for six seasons (1998-2003).
