Swimming and Diving
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- pyoshida@calpoly.edu
Phil Yoshida, in his 22nd year overall with the Cal Poly swimming & diving program, is in his third season as head coach for the Mustangs.
Yoshida, who spent the previous 19 seasons as an assistant coach, was named interim head coach on April 1, 2020, following the retirement of 14-year head coach Tom Milich. He was named full-time head coach following the 2020-21 season.
During the 2021-22 season, Kieran McNulty won the men’s 1650-yard freestyle title at the MPSF Championships for the second straight year and broke the school record in the 500 and 1,000 free. McNulty was named Cal Poly’s Mechanics Bank Student-Athlete of the Week three times last year and earned MPSF Male Athlete of the Week honors twice.
Max Powell also broke the school record in the men’s 1-meter dive this past season and Gennady Sytnik added to his school record in the men’s 100 backstroke. Overall, Yoshida saw six of his athletes earn All-MPSF honors in the 2021-22 season and nine grab MPSF Athlete of the Week praise. The Mustangs also had 24 student-athletes garner MPSF All-Academic honors last season, marking the third straight year that at least 20 members of the swim and dive team received All-Academic accolades.
In his first season as head coach in 2020-21, McNulty was named MPSF Freshman of the Year, marking the first major award a Cal Poly swimmer or diver has won since joining the MPSF. McNulty won two titles at 2021 MPSF Championships, which were hosted for the first time by Cal Poly at Anderson Aquatic Center. In addition, Yoshida also had a total of 15 Mustang men's and women's swimmers and divers who were named All-MPSF. Cal Poly also had a total of 33 swimmers and divers who earned MPSF All-Academic honors.
Yoshida was a standout swimmer at Cal Poly from 1999 through 2001 while earning his degree in biological sciences. He specialized in the breaststroke and individual medley.
During the two years he swam for the Mustangs, Yoshida had top team finishes in the 200 breaststroke, the 200 IM and the 400 IM.
Yoshida also placed in the top eight at the Big West Championships twice in the 200 breast and 400 IM. He also earned conference swimmer of the week honors during the 2000-01 season.
From 2001 to 2007, Yoshida worked in the fruit science department at Cal Poly, managing the citrus, avocado and deciduous orchards on campus. He oversaw 50 acres provided for research and development, and now enjoys growing fruit trees in his backyard as a hobby.
Since 2007, he has coached at the San Luis Obispo Swim Club. He coaches athletes of all ages and has led several to the national level while preparing them for collegiate success at various universities.
Yoshida previously also served as a coach for De Anza Cupertino Aquatics from 1997 to 2000.
