Diablo Valley aquatics coach Rick Millington announces his retirement
PLEASANT HILL - After a much-decorated career in aquatics, Rick Millington has announced his retirement. Millington has been an integral part of the aquatics program since he stepped onto campus in 1966. Millington began his aquatic endeavors at Iolani School in Hawaii. He is an alumnus of DVC, where he also swam and played water polo for the Vikings. He was the MVP of the 1966 water polo team and was named team captain in 1967.
Millington earned his A.A. degree from DVC before transferring to Fresno State on a water polo scholarship, where he swam and played water polo. He then transferred to Cal State East Bay, where he earned his B.S. degree.
Millington was Jack Flanagan’s assistant swim coach at DVC from 1971 to 1976, and from 1982 to 1986. He started teaching part-time at DVC in 1982, and became a full-time instructor in 2001. He became the DVC head coach for men’s and women’s swimming and diving in 1996, and also served as the head coach for women’s water polo, roles he has held until his retirement.
In addition to DVC, Millington’s coaching career includes coaching USA swimming, Aquabears, and San Ramon Valley High School. Millington coached the San Ramon Wolves from 1976 to 1981, where they won three Northern California titles and were the number one high school in the country in 1980.
In 1985, Millington was a member of the Olympic Festival coaching staff and was named the head coach of the 1987 Pacific Swimming All-Star Team. He was nominated as Pacific Swimming Coach of the Year in 1993. In 2000, Millington was named the head coach for the U.S. National Team trip to Brazil.
During his tenure at Diablo Valley College, Millington received numerous coaching accolades, including Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year and California Community College Swim Coach of the Year. Millington was an Assistant Coach for the Vikings during their 1973, 1975, & 82 State Championships in Swimming & Diving and was the Head Coach for their State Championships 1996, 2002 (Men’s & Women’s), 2003, 2007, 2008, & 2014.
Millington has not only been successful at the Junior College level, but his swimmers have gone on to compete at Junior Nationals, Nationals, and Olympic Trials as well. Millington has coached at several camps at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He was Matt Biondi's first USA Swimming coach, and coached Olympian Chrissy Ahmann-Leighton for four years.
Millington has also coached over 160 CCCAA Swimming and Water Polo All-Americans during his tenure at DVC and has transformed Diablo Valley College into one of the most successful aquatics programs in the state. Millington’s finished his coaching career with a record of 97-7 on the Women’s side and 100-4-1 on the Men’s side. The Vikings finished 2nd in the State 13 times, (7 Men, 6 Women).
Athletic Director and Dean, Christine Worsley, has named Zach Roberts as the Interim Coach of Women's Water Polo & Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving for the 2021-2022 year.
Millington's Success through the years on the pool deck at DVC
1973 – Men’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (Assistant Coach)
1975 – Men’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (Assistant Coach)
1982 – Women’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (Assistant Coach)
1996 – Women’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (HC)
2002 – Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (HC)
2003 – Women’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (HC)
2005 – Women’s Water Polo finished #3 in the State
2006 – Women’s Water Polo finished #3 in the State
2007 – Women’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (HC)
2008 – Men’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (HC) CCCAA Coach of the Year
2011 – Women’s Water Polo Big 8 Champion, Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year - Finished #2 in NorCal and #3 in the State
2012 – Women’s Water Polo Big 8 Champions, Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year, Finished #2 in NorCal & #4 in the State
2014 – Women’s Swimming & Diving State Champions (HC) CCCAA Coach of the Year, Women’s Water Polo Big 8 Champion, Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year, NorCal Champion, Finished #3 in the State
2015 – Women’s Water Polo NorCal Champions - Finished #3 in the State
(Caitlin Luquet)