Drew Livingston Hired as LSU’s New Diving Coach
Drew Livingston on Tuesday was hired as the diving coach at LSU, joining the staff of head swimming coach Rick Bishop.
Livingston spent the last four seasons as the head diving coach at the University of Virginia, contributing to the Cavaliers back-to-back NCAA Women’s titles. Livingston qualified eight divers for NCAAs as part of that effort and mentored divers that re-set all three school records.
Livingston returns to Baton Rouge, where he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under former coach Doug Shaffer.
“I want to thank Rick Bishop and the administration for this opportunity to return to Baton Rouge and lead the LSU Diving program,” Livingston said in a team statement. “Rick has an exciting vision for the future of LSU Swimming and Diving, and I can’t wait to join Rick and the rest of the coaching staff. Doug Shaffer has built LSU Diving into a national powerhouse. I am honored to continue building on this legacy and provide the best environment possible for our student-athletes to develop in and out of the pool. Geaux Tigers!”
Livingston was a standout diver at the University of Texas. A two-time NCAA champion on one-meter springboard and the 2012 NCAA Diver of the Year, he set the NCAA record on platform in 2009. He won a pair of USA Diving Nationals Champions and made the national team on nine occasions.
He began his coaching career in Austin as a volunteer assistant coach in 2013-14, working with 2014 NCAA Diver of the Meet Michael Hixon with coach Matt Scoggin. He then went to LSU for two years as a grad assistant, helping the team set three program records and lead the SEC Championships in diving points in 2015. Livingston would later earn his MBA from LSU in 2019.
Livingston got his first head job at Princeton, in 2018 sending the Tigers’ first male divers to NCAAs since 1991.
“We are excited to have Drew return to LSU,” Bishop said. “Over the past several years, Drew has developed great divers at Princeton and as part of a National Championship Team with UVA. He brings great technical and teaching skill that will help carry on the legacy of success that Doug Shaffer established. Drew will be a great partner as we continue to develop the LSU Men’s & Women’s Swimming and Diving programs.”
Livingston replaces Shaffer, who retired this spring after 20 seasons with the Tigers and 27 as a collegiate coach.
