Washington State Hires Jackie Mudd as Assistant Coach
Washington State on Wednesday announced the hiring of Jackie Mudd as an assistant coach. Mudd spent last season as an assistant coach at the Colorado School of Mines, working with the Division II school’s men’s and women’s programs.
Mudd joins as an assistant to head coach Russell Whitaker. Mudd coached the distance and IM group at Mines and as its recruiting coordinator helped land one of the country’s best Division II classes this year. She also worked with Mines’ USA Swimming program, with age groupers from 8-18.
“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to join the Cougar Family and swim program at Washington State University!” Mudd said in a university press release. “I would love to thank Russ Whitaker, Austin Pillado, Anne McCoy and Brad Corbin for trusting me to help lead the distance program as well as this entire group of women. I’m looking forward to developing these women as athletes, students, and as amazing people! Russ, Austin, and the entire athletic department show so much passion for the program, that I can’t wait to be apart of! Let’s get to work! GO COUGS!”
Mudd is a graduate of Biola University in California, a four-time CSCAA Academic All-American who graduated in 2024. The Colorado native coached at Governors Ranch Gators Swim Team from 2022-25 and was an assistant at Northview High School in California in 2024. She was selected to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum in June 2023, one of 200 participants in the four-day conference on NCAA career opportunities.
“I am ecstatic to announce the hiring of Jackie Mudd to our coaching staff at Washington State,” Whitaker said. “Jackie was an immediate attraction to our assistant coach opening due to her infectious personality, her ambitious goals within the sport, and her work ethic. Jackie was able to recruit the number one class for all of Division II, an incredible feat for a first year coach. Jackie was also instrumental in the success of if their distance swimmers at the D2 NCAA Championships. We are excited to see her continue to elevate our distance program and continue to put WSU swimming on the map. We can’t wait to have her in Pullman to join the family!”
