Ryan Kauth returns for his fourth year as the head men and women’s swimming & diving Coach at Biola University in the 2020-21 season.
In his first season at Biola, both the men and women’s teams flourished. It was an outstanding year; having accomplished 95 lifetime-bests, 13 school records, one NCAA Division II A-Qualifying Time, and 11 NCAA Division II B-Qualifying Times. The women’s team was able to re-write half of their record book, setting 10 out of 20 new school records. Additionally, the men’s team scored more points at the PCSC Championship meet than they had scored eight of the last nine seasons, while the women achieved their highest place in the past five years (fifth). Kauth also led Lisa Tixier to three PCSC individual titles, as well as a PCSC female swimmer of the year award.
Year two saw Kauth bring in his first recruiting class. The freshmen were the story of the year, with three different first-years breaking school records. Nicole Chang put her name in the record book twice, by breaking and re-breaking the women's 100- and 200-backstroke records multiple times. Katelyn Harper set a school record in the 1,650-freestyle and also earned the team's only NCAA Division II B-cut. On the men's side - Jonathan Villa joined Raymond Kam and Matthew Roe as record-breakers. Villa, the freshman, broke the school mark in the men's 200-butterfly. The women's team had the highest team GPA in all of NCAA Division II and the two squads combined for four D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards. At the end of the year Kauth announced a 2019-20 incoming class of 20 student-athletes (the program's highest total ever).
Year three saw Kauth's team continue to change the culture of the swimming & diving program at Biola. It was an astounding year, again led by a phenomenal freshman class, and was punctuated by both teams recording all-time best finishes at the PCSC Championship meet (men - 3rd; women - 3rd). He also coached Katelyn Harper to become the first-ever Biola swimmer to compete at NCAA Division II nationals, taking her to swim the 400-IM at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Harper represented well, moving up six spots from her seeding position to finish 18th in the nation. The team saw nine men's records get re-written and saw six new marks set on the women's side headlined by phenomenal swims from Kellynn Hayes, Patrick Waggoner and Gabe Weber, all in their first year with Kauth's team. Again, both squads were honored with CSCAA Academic All-America honors.
Kauth came to Biola after spending three years as an assistant coach at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana and at Concordia University Irvine.
At Mater Dei, he coached 13 national high school all-americans and 30 CIF-Division I finalists; including a back-to-back CIF Division I champion sprint freestyler, who finished third-Fastest in Orange County history.
Outside of his coaching roles at Mater Dei and Concordia, Kauth has been involved at the University of Texas' Longhorn swim camp during the summers of 2016 through 2018, in addition to N.C. State’s Wolfpack swim camp in the summer of 2018. There, he worked alongside world renown USA coaches, Eddie Reese, Braden Holloway, Wyatt Collins, and Carol Capitani in top-notch NCAA Division-I environments.
Before moving into coaching, Kauth swam at Concordia and was the president of the school's student-athlete advisory committee. He graduated in May of 2014 with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science and completed his work for a master's in coaching and athletic administration in May of 2016.
He was a standout swimmer during his time in green and yellow from 2010 through 2015. Kauth was a four-time NAIA national championship meet qualifier and a five-time NAIA national championship finalist.
"I'm really excited to be at Biola. It's a great opportunity," said Kauth. "As a young, growing coach this is a great head coaching spot for me. The team has been on the rise the last couple of years, and I am getting on board at the perfect time to continue building the program. I am excited to be here, because I've found the perfect position to share my Christian faith and my swimming background."
With his wealth of coaching experience coupled with his knowledge of competing at a private Christian university, Kauth brings everything Biola is looking for in a head coach. He is eager to work with the student-athletes and help them reach their full potential athletically, relationally, emotionally, spiritually and academically.
