Cleveland State Hires Trent Richardson as Men’s and Women’s Head Coach
Cleveland State this week named Trent Richardson the new head coach of its men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.
Richardson was an assistant coach last year, helping the men finish third and the women fifth at the Horizon League Championships. He’s the fourth coach in program history to oversee both the men’s and women’s programs.
“It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to serve as the next head coach of men’s and women’s swimming and diving at Cleveland State University,” Richardson said in a university statement. “I would like to thank Director of Athletics Kelsie Gory Harkey, President Bloomberg, and everyone involved in the process for this opportunity – including former head coach Wally Morton. I would also like to thank Carolyn Kampf, my wife, partner and best friend, and our daughter Elizabeth for their unwavering love and support.”
Richardson arrived in Cleveland after four seasons as the head coach of Loveland Swim Club in Colorado, which in 2022 earned a silver medal in the USA Swimming Club Excellence Program. He spent the previous seven years as a pre-senior coach and assistant senior coach at DART Swimming in California, working with Olympian Luca Urlando among others.
Richardson swam at Diablo Valley College and UC Davis, the latter from 2007-09. He was the captain of the men’s team in 2009 and won a Big West relay championship. He was a volunteer assistant at UC Davis before joining DART, leading the Aggies to their first Big West Conference team title in 2010.
“We had the privilege of speaking with an impressive group of candidates during this search process, and it became clear that Trent embodies everything we sought in our next men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach,” athletic director Kelsie Gory Harkey said. “He is a strong recruiter, a driven and student-athlete focused leader, and has a vision to continue the storied legacy of Cleveland State swimming and diving excellence in the pool, in the classroom and in the community.”
