Redlands

Tom Whittemore came to the University of Redlands in 1988 following a two-year assistant coaching stint at his alma mater, Claremont McKenna College. Since joining the Bulldog staff, he has built the Redlands aquatic programs into national powerhouses, working at one time or another as the head men’s and women’s water polo and swimming coach, assistant swimming coach, and director of aquatics.

In the Winter of 2019, after 32 years of coaching, Whittemore stepped down from the role and took on the responsibility of Chairing the Physical Education Department. 

Whittemore has claimed nearly 800 total wins between the two water polo programs.  He earned his 400th men's water polo victory in 2009 with a 10-8 decision over Johns Hopkins University (MD).  He finished his women's water polo tenure with a career record of 394-250.

As of the 2013 season, Whittemore owns eight conference men's championships. He was named the Western Water Polo Men's Coach of the Year in 1998, 2001 and 2004.  During the 2004 season, Whittemore guided the Bulldogs to their best finish at the WWPA Championships with a second-place showing.

Overall, he has coached eight NCAA Division III Players of the Year, including three men and five women.

From 1994-1999, Whittemore coached the Redlands women's water polo team to five-consecutive Collegiate III National Championships and added three more titles in 2002, 2004 and 2006. For his efforts, Whittemore was named the American Water Polo Association Coach of the Year six times.

In addition, the Bulldogs became the first Division III school to participate in the newly-expanded NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championships when the team captured the conference’s automatic bid in 2005. That year Whittemore was named the Division III Coach of the Year while coaching the Division III Player of the Year. Since the women’s water polo team’s move to varsity status in 1994, Whittemore has guided the Bulldogs to 10 SCIAC championships, including four-straight from 2000-2003.

Whittemore began his career at Redlands as the men’s and women’s swimming coach from 1988-1995. Under Whittemore’s tutelage, both teams continued to climb the conference ladder and develop for their future success. In 1993, the men’s team snapped Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ 12-year, 60-dual meet streak in conference with a 124-81 victory. That year, one of his student-athletes, Greg Milton, captured the NCAA Division III Championship in the 100 Freestyle. Whittemore also guided the Bulldogs to the program’s first SCIAC Championship in 1994.

As a collegian, Whittemore was a four-year letterman in swimming and a three-time NCAA Division III qualifier at Claremont McKenna College.

Currently, he enjoys sports and traveling in his free time. He is also an active member of the Redlands Hoop Shots youth group through the local YMCA. He also serves on the NCAA Women's Water Polo Committee.  Whittemore resides in Redlands with his wife, Leslie, and children, Tait and Maggie.