Pitt announced Monday that Chase Kreitler resigned as head swimming and diving coach after four seasons.
“When I met with our student-athletes this morning, I shared our continued desire to field a nationally competitive program, while supporting their holistic development as students and athletes,” Pitt athletic director Allen Greene said in a statement. “Sustaining this philosophy requires not only achieving these goals but being strategic in how we do so. That will be our focus as we search for our next head coach.”
SwimSwam Magazine obtained Kreitler’s resignation letter where he wrote, “I was recently informed that the department intends to move in a different strategic direction after the 2026-2027 season. While I was offered the opportunity to coach one more year, I do not believe I could operate in integrity continuing to recruit transfers and incoming student-athletes knowing I would not be part of their journey beyond next season.”
Pitt officials said a search for his successor is underway.
The Panthers are coming off one of the most successful seasons in team history.
Pitt’s women’s team earned a CSCAA ranking at No. 24 for the first time in December and reached as high as No. 21 in March. The team placed 16th at the NCAA championships, its highest finish in program history. The Pitt women finished sixth at the ACC championships, which also was a program best.
Pitt’s men’s team took 20th at the NCAA championships, it’s highest finish in 73 years.
Pitt diving had a program-record 12 athletes qualify for the zone championships and five move on to the NCAA meet.
In all, Pitt swimmers and divers set 19 team records at the NCAA championships, including all five men’s relays.
Kreitler, who was hired by former athletic director Heather Lyke, came to Pitt after guiding future Olympians on the U.S. national team and helping lead national championship runs in 2019 and 2022 as an assistant coach at California.
He also was an assistant in prior seasons at Eastern Michigan, LSU, Texas and Stanford.