Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus Boston College on September 26, 2025 at 4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
/
4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
Swimming & Diving
vs Boston College
Swimming & Diving
Boulden, Riley
Riley Boulden
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- riley.boulden@duke.edu
Follow @DukeSWIMDIVE
Riley Boulden joined the Duke swimming and diving program as an assistant coach in July, 2021. He enters his first season with the Blue Devils.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Boulden assisted the Blue Devils to another top 25 finish at the Women’s NCAAs and top 10 finish for the Men at the CSCAA National Invitational. The Blue Devils set 6 new school records, including 2 relay records in the 200 Medley and 200 Freestyle Relays, and individually by Tatum Wall, who is the first women in school history to break the 48 second barrier, Ali Pfaff in the 100 and 200 backstroke and Kaelyn Gridley in the 100 Breaststroke. Kaelyn Gridley also matched her 4th place finish in the 200 breaststroke from the previous year as well as first team All-America honors in the 100 breaststroke.  The program also saw multiple additions to the all-time top 10 record book. Â
In the 2023-24 season, Boulden assisted the Blue Devils to their highest ever finish at the NCAA Championship (16th). At the NCAA Championship, Kaelyn Gridley secured All-America honors with a fourth-place finish in the 200 Breaststroke, while Sarah Foley and Ali Pfaff earned second team All-America honors in the 200 IM and 200 Backstroke respectively.  The Women’s 400 Medley Relay made up of Ali Pfaff, Kaelyn Gridley, Aleyna Ozkan and Sarah Foley placed 7th for All-America honors for the first time in Duke’s history. Â
Boulden had a tremendous second season with the Blue Devils with the Women’s team having their highest finish to date (17th) at the NCAA Championship.  Boulden helped mentor the Blue Devils to multiple program records as well as a slew of All-American honors, highlighted by first team honors by Sarah Foley and Kaelyn Gridley. Â
In his first season in Durham, Boulden assisted he Blue Devils to a historic season in 2021-22 as the Duke women matched its all-time best fifth-place finish at the ACC Championships and finished 24th in the NCAA Championships. He helped mentor the Blue Devils to break 10 program records, including five individual records by Sarah Foley. Foley also earned a pair of All-ACC honors (200 IM and 200 breaststroke) and All-America honors (200 IM and 200 freestyle). In addition, Boulden saw relay teams record program record times at the ACC Championships.
Boulden brought over 11 years of coaching experience to Durham. Prior to joining the Blue Devils, he spent the 2020-21 season as a volunteer assistant coach with NC State’s program. In his lone season with the Wolfpack, Boulden helped mentor an NC State team that secured a program best second-place finish at the 2021 Women’s NCAA Championships and a top-10 finish on the men’s side. In addition, the Wolfpack men and women both placed second at the 2021 ACC Championships during his time in Raleigh.
Before joining the NC State staff, Boulden served a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) from 2017-2020. During his tenure with the Owls, he helped the men's squad achieve a runner-up finish at the 2019 Conference USA Championship and aided the women's squad in increasing its placing at the league meet from sixth to third. Boulden also played an integral role in leading FAU's recruiting efforts and overseeing the sprint group.
Prior to joining the Owls, Boulden spent three years (2014-17) as an assistant coach for the men's and women's programs at Army West Point, where he helped both teams earn second-place finishes at the Patriot League Championships. He played a role in coaching multiple individual conference title winners, while also training athletes at US Nationals, World Trials and the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Boulden started his collegiate coaching career at DePauw University, where he served as the assistant men's swimming coach and the associate aquatics director. From 2012-14, Boulden helped orchestrate two top-three conference finishes and two top-15 finishes at the Division III NCAA Championships. He also mentored 18 athletes to All-America honors.
As a swimmer, Boulden was a two-time Indiana state champion before beginning his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. A member of the Crimson Tide's squad from 2006-10, Boulden secured two top-20 finishes at World Trials, achieved two Olympic Trials cuts and set the program record in the 200 IM that remained unbeaten until 2017.Â
A native of Indianapolis, Boulden graduated from Alabama in 2010 with a degree in commerce and business administration.
Last updated July 6, 2022
Â
Riley Boulden joined the Duke swimming and diving program as an assistant coach in July, 2021. He enters his first season with the Blue Devils.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Boulden assisted the Blue Devils to another top 25 finish at the Women’s NCAAs and top 10 finish for the Men at the CSCAA National Invitational. The Blue Devils set 6 new school records, including 2 relay records in the 200 Medley and 200 Freestyle Relays, and individually by Tatum Wall, who is the first women in school history to break the 48 second barrier, Ali Pfaff in the 100 and 200 backstroke and Kaelyn Gridley in the 100 Breaststroke. Kaelyn Gridley also matched her 4th place finish in the 200 breaststroke from the previous year as well as first team All-America honors in the 100 breaststroke.  The program also saw multiple additions to the all-time top 10 record book. Â
In the 2023-24 season, Boulden assisted the Blue Devils to their highest ever finish at the NCAA Championship (16th). At the NCAA Championship, Kaelyn Gridley secured All-America honors with a fourth-place finish in the 200 Breaststroke, while Sarah Foley and Ali Pfaff earned second team All-America honors in the 200 IM and 200 Backstroke respectively.  The Women’s 400 Medley Relay made up of Ali Pfaff, Kaelyn Gridley, Aleyna Ozkan and Sarah Foley placed 7th for All-America honors for the first time in Duke’s history. Â
Boulden had a tremendous second season with the Blue Devils with the Women’s team having their highest finish to date (17th) at the NCAA Championship.  Boulden helped mentor the Blue Devils to multiple program records as well as a slew of All-American honors, highlighted by first team honors by Sarah Foley and Kaelyn Gridley. Â
In his first season in Durham, Boulden assisted he Blue Devils to a historic season in 2021-22 as the Duke women matched its all-time best fifth-place finish at the ACC Championships and finished 24th in the NCAA Championships. He helped mentor the Blue Devils to break 10 program records, including five individual records by Sarah Foley. Foley also earned a pair of All-ACC honors (200 IM and 200 breaststroke) and All-America honors (200 IM and 200 freestyle). In addition, Boulden saw relay teams record program record times at the ACC Championships.
Boulden brought over 11 years of coaching experience to Durham. Prior to joining the Blue Devils, he spent the 2020-21 season as a volunteer assistant coach with NC State’s program. In his lone season with the Wolfpack, Boulden helped mentor an NC State team that secured a program best second-place finish at the 2021 Women’s NCAA Championships and a top-10 finish on the men’s side. In addition, the Wolfpack men and women both placed second at the 2021 ACC Championships during his time in Raleigh.
Before joining the NC State staff, Boulden served a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) from 2017-2020. During his tenure with the Owls, he helped the men's squad achieve a runner-up finish at the 2019 Conference USA Championship and aided the women's squad in increasing its placing at the league meet from sixth to third. Boulden also played an integral role in leading FAU's recruiting efforts and overseeing the sprint group.
Prior to joining the Owls, Boulden spent three years (2014-17) as an assistant coach for the men's and women's programs at Army West Point, where he helped both teams earn second-place finishes at the Patriot League Championships. He played a role in coaching multiple individual conference title winners, while also training athletes at US Nationals, World Trials and the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Boulden started his collegiate coaching career at DePauw University, where he served as the assistant men's swimming coach and the associate aquatics director. From 2012-14, Boulden helped orchestrate two top-three conference finishes and two top-15 finishes at the Division III NCAA Championships. He also mentored 18 athletes to All-America honors.
As a swimmer, Boulden was a two-time Indiana state champion before beginning his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. A member of the Crimson Tide's squad from 2006-10, Boulden secured two top-20 finishes at World Trials, achieved two Olympic Trials cuts and set the program record in the 200 IM that remained unbeaten until 2017.Â
A native of Indianapolis, Boulden graduated from Alabama in 2010 with a degree in commerce and business administration.
Last updated July 6, 2022
Â
Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
Saturday, October 19
A Century of Blue Devil Brilliance
Saturday, October 19
Senior Social Kick: Kevin Explains Cubed Food Theory
Friday, March 10
Senior Social Kick: Brad Solves a Rubik's Cube
Friday, March 10
