University of California Athletics

David Durden, who has established Cal's men's swimming & diving team as the premier program in the country, recently completed his second season as Cal's Director of Swimming & Diving while overseeing both the Bears' men's and women's programs. Durden also completed his 17th season at the helm of the Bears' men's program.

In his second season overseeing Cal's women's program, Durden led the Bears to their fifth Pac-12 team championship in program history. Cal also registered four individual conference titles - Isabelle Stadden in the 100 and 200 backstroke, Rachel Klinker in the 200 butterfly and Mia Kragh in the 100 butterfly. The Bears also had 13 All-American performances at the 2024 NCAA Championships, including two top-5 finishes by Stadden and a third-place finish for Klinker.

Durden was charged with leading Team USA as the Head Coach for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, on July 23-Aug. 8, 2021. The American men totaled 12 medals (8 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), including four combined medals by Cal greats Ryan Murphy (silver in the 200m backstroke, bronze in the 100m backstroke, gold & world record 4x100 medley relay) & Tom Shields (gold in the 4x100 medley relay).

Durden's Golden Bears have captured six NCAA men's team championships during his Cal tenure and have finished first or second nationally for a staggering 14 consecutive seasons. The Bears finished as the national runner-up in 2024 and registered four individual or relay NCAA titles. Destin Lasco won his third straight national crown in the 200 backstroke and also took the title in the 200 individual medley. Liam Bell secured the NCAA championship in the 100 breaststroke (and set an NCAA record in the process) while the Bears' 800 free relay team of Gabriel Jett, Destin Lasco, Jack Alexy and Robin Hanson also took home the national crown.

Durden has been named NCAA Coach of the Year seven times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022 and 2023) & earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors 12 times.

Durden's Golden Bears reached the collegiate pinnacle in 2021-22 after finding themselves in third place following the first two days of the meet. Cal surged into the lead on day three and posted an eventual 51-point victory over the field with 487.5 total points. The Bears won two NCAA individual titles & one relay title; Hugo González set NCAA & U.S. Open records (3:32.88) as he won the 400 IM title, Destin Lasco captured the 200 backstroke crown in 1:37.71 and the quartet of Destin Lasco, Reece Whitley, Trenton Julian and Björn Seeliger swam to the 400 medley relay title in 3:00.36.

The 2020-21 season saw the Bears total a staggering 568 swimming points and earned a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships. Standout sprinter Ryan Hoffer took the spotlight with an individual sweep (50 free, 100 free, 100 fly) and two relay titles in the 200 free & 400 free relays.

The 2018-19 campaign was another season of success for the Bears as they stood atop the NCAA Championships podium in March, defeating the reigning champion Texas Longhorns in their home pool. Along with this team win, Cal senior Andrew Seliskar was named NCAA swimmer of the meet for his three individual wins along with his contributions on four relays.

The summer of 2019 was also a busy one for the Bears. Durden served as the Head Coach for Team USA at world championships in Gwangju, South Korea where three Bears came home with seven medals. Across the three major international meets (Worlds, World University Games and Pan Ams), the Bears had a total of 10 athletes earn 24 medals. Cal also placed 10 men on the USA national team.

The summer of 2016 was a historic one for the Bears with six individuals qualifying for the Rio Olympic Games for Team USA. The group brought home an incredible eleven medals, eight of which were gold:

• Ryan Murphy - 100 backstroke (GOLD and a new world record), 200 backstroke (GOLD), 4X100 medley relay (GOLD)
• Anthony Ervin - 50 freestyle (GOLD), 4x100 free relay (GOLD)
• Nathan Adrian - 4x100 free relay (GOLD), 4x100 medley relay (GOLD), 100 freestyle (BRONZE), 50 freestyle (BRONZE)
• Josh Prenot - 200 breaststroke (SILVER)
• Tom Shields - 4x100 medley relay (GOLD)
• Jacob Pebley - 200 backstroke (5th)

For his efforts, Durden was named an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team and was the American Swim Coaches Association 2016 Coach of the Year.

Since taking over Cal's men's program in the fall of 2007, Durden has produced 38 individual NCAA champions and has seen 18 relays win national crowns. He has also guided Cal swimmers to 105 Pac-12 individual titles and 52 conference relay titles. In 2016-17, Ryan Murphy won both backstroke events at NCAAs for the fourth year in a row, becoming only the fourth male swimmer ever (John Naber, Pablo Morales, Brendan Hansen) to earn a career sweep in both distances of one stroke.

Beyond the collegiate ranks, Cal has assembled one of the most decorated professional groups in the sport. Headlining this group are swimming legends Nathan Adrian, Ryan Murphy, Abbey Weitzeil and Josh Prenot who account for 19 Olympic medals thus far in their careers. 

Snapshot of Durden’s coaching accomplishments while at Cal (2007-present):

Collegiate Team:

• 6 NCAA team championships (2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023)
• 8 NCAA runner-up finishes (2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024)
• 7-time NCAA Coach of the Year (2010. 2011. 2012. 2014, 2019, 2022)
• 2016 ASCA Coach of the Year
• 12-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• 56 NCAA titles (38 individual, 18 relay)
• 157 Pac-12 titles (105 Individual, 52 relay)

International:

• Saw eight Cal swimmers reach the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for four different countries & guided Team USA's Ryan Murphy (one gold, one silver, one bronze) & Tom Shields (one gold) to the podium
• Coached six Cal swimmers to 11 Olympic medals in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, including 8 golds and an individual world record by Ryan Murphy in the 100 meter backstroke
• Mentored swimmers to three Olympic medals in 2012, including Nathan Adrian’s individual Olympic gold in the 100-meter freestyle in London
• Team USA coaching appointments: 
  • Head Men’s Olympic coach, 2020
  • Head Men’s World Championship coach, 2019, 2017, 2015
  • Assistant Men’s Olympic coach, 2016
  • Assistant Men’s World Championship coach, 2011

Prior to his arrival in Berkeley, Durden guided Maryland's men's and women's swimming and diving from 2005-07. A former assistant at powerhouse Auburn from 2002-05, Durden helped the Tiger men's and women's teams capture a total of six NCAA team championships - the men winning in 2003, 2004 and 2005, and the women winning in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

A 1998 graduate of UC Irvine, Durden earned a degree in electrical engineering. He competed on the Anteaters' swim team from 1994-97 and was the 1997 Big West Conference champion in the 200 butterfly. He and his wife, Cathy, reside in Moraga with their son, Jack (born January 2009) and daughter, Mia (born March 2010).

Last updated: June 14, 2024