DAVIS, Calif. — More than 70 UC Davis swim and dive alumni returned to Schall Aquatic Center or joined the event remotely on Saturday to participate in the team's annual Alumni Meet and celebrate the retirement of long-time collegiate diving coach Phil Tonne, who spent his final 22 seasons of a 47-year collegiate coaching career as the head diving coach at UC Davis.
"I am eternally grateful to everyone involved in Saturday's celebration," said Tonne, who sat in his familiar chair poolside along with his successor and former Aggies' assistant diving coach Laurel Abernethy to judge a few last dives. "I look forward to spending time with my family, especially my new grandson. Go Ags!"
"The alumni meet is an annual reminder of the impact college athletics has on your life and this year was even more special with coach Phil's retirement following 47 years of collegiate coaching," said UC Davis swim and dive head Matt Macedo, who enters his sixth season at the helm of the program in 2026-27. "In his 22 years at UC Davis, coach Phil got the best out of his athletes on the boards, but yesterday we could see, hear and feel what Phil meant to Aggie diving. It was great to see so many people share their stories and thank Phil for all he has done for them and their families. I want to thank everyone who attended and joined us remotely to wish Phil well as he prepares for his move to the East Coast in a couple of weeks."
The event included a few informal races between first-year Aggies and alums before the focus became the celebration for Tonne, where speakers included Macedo, his predecessor and long-time UC Davis swim and dive coach Barbara John and Abernethy, who played tribute to him before a long video was played with many of his former UC Davis divers wishing their former coach well.
UC Davis next hosts its Blue vs. Gold Intrasquad Scrimmage this Saturday, Sept. 26 (9 am) before their fall schedule begins with a swim only meet at Pacific on Saturday, Oct. 3 (10 am). The Aggies open their home schedule by hosting Nevada on Friday, Oct. 9 (1 pm).
Gallery: (9-21-2026) Alumni Meet/Phil Tonne Retirement
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS
UC Davis, ranked No. 2 among public universities by the Wall Street Journal in the value of a college degree, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked top in the United States in agriculture and forestry as well as No. 1 in veterinary medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.
For more information, visit ucdavisaggies.com/.
