Elite coaching, personalized development plans and a tight-knit team culture that pushes athletes to reach their full potential.

For swimmers and divers seeking an exceptional environment where they can thrive as swimmers and divers and as individuals, Stevenson offers a world-class experience. Set against the stunning backdrop of Pebble Beach, the program doesn’t just build strong swimmers and divers – it cultivates leaders, teammates and confident student-athletes ready to compete at the highest levels, in and out of the pool.

girls swimming diving

Meet the Coaches

Franco Pacheco

“Knowing that someone’s positive actions can impact others is the root of my passion.” – Franco Pacheco

Since taking over Stevenson’s boys swimming & diving in 2020, Franco Pacheco’s teams have won four PCAL titles, made five CCS Championship appearances and maintained an impressive record with only one dual meet loss.

Franco Pacheco assumed the head coaching duties for the Stevenson School boys swimming & diving program in the spring of 2020, bringing with him a strong background in collegiate and youth-level coaching. A former age group swimmer and coach with Seaside Aquatics, Pacheco previously served as head coach at St. Norbert College and as an assistant at Colby College, Colorado College and Villanova University, a Division I program.

Since taking over at Stevenson, his teams have won four straight PCAL titles, made five CCS Championship appearances, placed in the top 20 at CCS twice and the top 30 three times, and have only lost one dual meet during his tenure. As a college swimmer and diver, he was a two-time team captain, earned All-Metropolitan Conference honors four times and All-Northeast-10 Conference honors twice at the College of St. Rose. In 2010, he became a national champion in the 400 freestyle at the USMS Long Course Nationals and medaled in three other events. He was honored with the Jean Freeman Award by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America in 2015 and named SCAC Staff of the Year in 2016.

Franco Pacheco

Allen Garner

Allen Garner brings a sports and coaching background in both girls water polo and swimming, where she has been a key factor in raising the competitive level of both programs.

Since taking the helm of the girls varsity and JV swimming programs, Allen has continued to develop talent and enthusiasm within the program. 

Allen Garner joined the Stevenson School faculty in the fall of 2017 and has worked in both the World Language Department and Admissions Office. Bringing a sports background, she quickly accepted coaching assignments in both Girls Water Polo and Swimming where she has been a key factor in raising the competitive level of both programs. 

Allen served as the head coach of Girls JV Water Polo in 2017. In 2019 she took over the helm of the girls Varsity and JV Swimming teams, where she has continued to develop talent and enthusiasm within the program. In 2022 she was named CCS Honor Coach and in 2025 the team won a PCAL title in the Gabilan division, the league’s highest tier. 

In her time at Stevenson, Allen has coached multiple All-PCAL and CCS athletes. She is most proud of the team’s camaraderie, especially in what is often known as an “individual” sport. This commitment to one another has led to multiple record-setting relays over the years.

Allen grew up as a club swimmer and also played softball in high school. She competed in both water polo and swimming at the collegiate level all four years at Bowdoin College, a Division III program in Brunswick, Maine. She participated in the NCAA Swimming Championships in her senior year and served as team captain for a historic championship season. In her final season, she was recognized as the Charles Butt Award winner, the team’s Most Valuable Player and was the college’s Women’s Academic Award winner for the year. 

Prior to Stevenson, she coached for two years at Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut and for one year at the Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut, where she helped lead the boys team to a Class C New England Championship. She also spent two years coaching at her alma mater, where she had the privilege to be mentored by one of the best. Her time coaching and recruiting at the college level has enabled her to support her high school athletes in their collegiate aspirations.

Allen Garner
Boys swimming

Championship Success

Team Awards: 24 league championships in program history; 2024-2025 PCAL – Gabilan championship; 2024-2025 division championship (7th consecutive year).

Individual Awards: 13 2024-2025 division 1st Team All-League swimmers; eight 2024-2025 league champion swimmers; 14 2024-2025 CCS champion swimmers; five 2024-2025 All America – Academic.

Coach Awards: 2021-2022 CCS Honors Coach, Allen Garner.

Collegiate Excellence: Stevenson’s swimming & diving program boasts a rich legacy of achievement, producing multiple state championships, consistent conference and sectional dominance and sending athletes on to NCAA Division I and II programs. Alumni, including Olympic gold medalist Heather Pease-Olson (1996 Atlanta Games), have excelled at schools such as Stanford University and Tulane University, continuing to thrive thanks to the competitive mindset, technical skill and strong foundation built through the program’s high state meet performances and relay successes.

  • Matthew Choi, 2023 – Babson College
  • Augie Meier, 2023 – Willamette
  • Bella Hare Leiva, 2022 – Hobart & Smith
  • Adrian Jin, 2022 – Middlebury College
  • Danielle Powers, 2012 – Fresno State
  • Connor Stuewe, 2011 – Boston University
  • Sierra Burton, 2007 – Washington State University
  • Anne Marie May, 2005 – UC Santa Barbara
  • Scott McCord, 2005 – Georgetown University
  • Katie Knepp, 2002 – Linfield University
  • John Abercrombie, 2000 – University of Southern California
  •  Heather Pease-Olson, 1993, Stanford
  • Craig Balbo, 1991 – UC Santa Barbara
  • Dirk Peters, 1986 – UC Davis
  • James Evans, 1979 – Pepperdine University
  • Warren Lee, 1977 – Pamona-Pitzer
  • Richard Meyerhoff, 1964 – University of Denver

Training Advantage

The swimming & diving team trains year-round in a beautiful outdoor aquatics facility located right on campus in Pebble Beach, allowing athletes to take advantage of California’s mild climate. Practices focus on technical excellence, race strategy, strength and conditioning and mental preparation, with individualized training plans designed to help each swimmer and diver grow. The team also benefits from access to athletic trainers, video analysis and a supportive academic-athletic balance that sets the foundation for long-term success in and out of the pool.

Become a Pirate

Are you a driven student-athlete with a passion for your sport? Inquire and learn more about how you can become a part of Stevenson’s legacy of success.