ALUMNI SUCCESS
A Legacy of Collegiate Excellence
Over the past 30 years, Orinda Aquatics has built a training and character culture that prepares swimmers for the highest levels of collegiate athletics and academics. Preparing our athletes for this next step is our proudest achievement, and we have built a track record of consistency that rivals any club in the nation. Our training methodology encourages swimmers to eagerly pursue collegiate athletics, while our emphasis on character creates a very high degree of peer leadership. Approximately 80% of our swimmers go on to compete in college—and among those who do not, many continue swimming on their campus club teams.
Supported by a rigorous academic standard—with our Senior Group maintaining a GPA over 4.0—our graduates pursue higher education at the top schools in the nation. Recent graduates have committed to programs including Cal, Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Yale, UCLA, Texas, Boston College, NYU, and USC.
Explore Our Alumni History
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History by Year
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History by School
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Collegiate Team Captains
Orinda Aquatics College Support/Culture
Created of culture of collegiate pursuit (assumed unless it is not an option)
Created a positive training environment to support higher levels of training and motivation to compete, i.e., continue in college
As year-round student-athletes (at a high level), the average GPA among 75+ high school (Senior) athletes is near 4.0
Have a strong legacy of collegiate swimming, success, and leadership (see national history and college team captains)
Team has a very strong reputation nationally, with regard to athlete development and character
Coaches have a very strong relationship with most collegiate coaches (including Olympic coaches)
Coaches support every athlete and their family throughout the entire process (meetings, letters of recommendation, emails/phone calls to coaches, guidance/advice, etc.)
College swimming has supported swimmers at all levels with admissions
Outside of the team culture, collegiate swimming has been the most dominant and significant aspect of the program
Myths dispelled are:
“burn-out” (virtually none)
academic challenge – “can’t do both” (the results speak for themselves), and,
“only the top athletes swim in college” (far from the truth).
Alumni Spotlights & News
Margaux McDonald - Princeton Bound, By Jon Kingdon, Lamorinda Weekly
Orinda Aquatics' Swimmers Path to College, By Jon Kingdon, Lamorinda Weekly
The Swimming Path to College, By Jennifer Wake, Lamorinda Weekly