Pete Hovland

Peter Neal Hovland (August 17, 1954-) was a competitive swimmer for Chico State, and an Assistant and Head coach for Michigan's Oakland University from 1979 to 2023, where he led the men's team to four consecutive NCAA national titles from 1994 to 1997, and an exceptional forty-four consecutive conference championships from 1979 to 2023. He simultaneously led the women's team to 21 conference titles through his retirement at Oakland in 1923. As of 2023, his span of service as a head coach for Oakland was tied for the second-longest of any NCAA Division I head coach. Recognized as a greatly more competitive swim program, Oakland moved from NCAA Division II to Division I in 1997 during Hovland's time as a coach.

Hovland was born August 17, 1954, in Shasta, California, but grew up in the San Jose Valley area. He swam as a youngster at the local San Jose YMCA, which would later combine with the renowned Santa Clara Swim Club. He later attended nearby Campbell High School in Campbell, California, 50 miles Southeast of San Francisco in the North central coastal area of California. Representing Campbell High at the age of 16 in West Valley Athletic League Competition in May, 1971, he won the 200 freestyle in 1:51.2, and the 100 freestyle in a West Valley Athletic League record time of 49.2.