Reese began the new millennium in the same fashion, winning three consecutive NCAA Championships (2000, 2001 and 2002). Texas placed second at Nationals in 2003, finished third in 2004, seventh in 2005, fourth in 2006 and fifth in 2007. Two more NCAA runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009 preceded Reese’s 10th NCAA team title in 2010. Incredibly, Reese completed a second streak of four consecutive titles in his career with NCAA team crowns in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Following the cancelation of the 2020 NCAA Championship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reese’s Longhorns came back in 2021 to win a 15th national title, making Reese the first swimming coach to win NCAA crowns in five separate decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s). It also marked the fifth time in six held championships that the Longhorns came away the victors. Texas followed that title with a runner-up result at the 2021 national meet.

2001 – 2002 coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin National Champions

2001: THE LEGACY CONTINUES
Texas was Event Champions in:
– 200 backstroke
– 100 breaststroke
– 200 breaststroke
– 100 butterfly
– 1-meter diving
– 3-meter diving
– 400 freestyle relay
– 800 freestyle relay
– 200 medley relay
– 400 medley relay

In 2001, Texas Swimming & Diving teams are fast to the top. In one of the fastest NCAA Championships to date the Longhorns win 11 of the meet’s 21 events, claiming four of five relays and accounting for six of the eight American and NCAA records set at the 2001 NCAA’s

2002 – 2003 coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin National Champions – Three-peat

The Longhorns captured their third consecutive NCAA Championship and ninth title in school history in dramatic fashion. They came back to take the lead in the second-to-last event of the evening and held on in the final event for the overall team victory. Texas scored 512 points, finishing just ahead of second-place Stanford (501). The 11-point edge was the closest margin of victory since the advent of the 16-place scoring system in 1985.

2003-2004 – Coach Eddie Reese Pending 5-2

Scott Goldblatt Olympics 2000 and 2004

2004 -2005 Coach Eddie Reese Pending 6-1  more info to follow

Ian Crocker, Scott Goldblatt, Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol, and Neil Walker win Olympic Gold

The Horns won 18 medals including 9 golds. It was his best team since 1976.

2005-2006 – Coach Eddie Reese Pending 6-2 more info to follow

2006 -2007 Coach Eddie Reese Pending 5-3 more info to follow

Hansen named USA Swimming Male Athlete of the Year

2007-2008 Coach Eddie Reese Pending 6-0 more info to follow

Jamie’s acceptance speech into the TSDHOF starts at the 4:40 mark in the link below.

http://www.tsdhof.org/jamie-rauch

Troy Dumais Is The Only UT Athlete who has Participated In The Olympic Games 4 Times.

2008 – 2009 Coach Eddie Reese 8-1 More info to follow

Texas won their 13 consecutive Big 12 championship.  Walters, Roekel, Feign, and Verlatti set an American record in the 400 freestyle relay.

 The men’s swimming and diving team finished second at the NCAA meet. Michael Kleuh, Ricky Berens, and Dave Walters led the team in medal count. Coach Reese Longhorn’s record as of this year was nine NCAA Championships and seven second-place finishes.

Garrett Weber-Gale Olympics 2008

Rick Berens Olympics 2008 and 2012 ; shattered the school record in the 200 butterfly, and the team got an automatic NCAA bid.

Scott Spann, Jr. Olympics 2008

Dave Walters- Olympics 2008; broke Michael Phelps’s American record in the 200 freestyle.

Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol, Ricky Berens, Ian Crocker, Garrett Weber-Gale, and Dave Walters win Olympic Gold

2009 – Coach Eddie Reese Pending 8-1 more info to follow

As of 2015 Jimmy Feign has the fastest Longhorn time in the 50 free and 100 free.

As of 2015 Dave Walters the fastest Longhorn time in the 200 free.

As of 2015 Ricky Berens has the fastest Longhorn time in the 200 IM.

As of 2015 Scott Spann, Jr. has the fastest Longhorn time in the 200 Breaststrok

2010 – coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin National Champions 5-1 more info to follow

The only loss this year is to the Arizona Wildcats. At the NCAA tournament, California leads the Horns at the end of the first two days of competition, but Texas rolls over California on the third day to win the championship.

Coach Scoggins is Coach of the Year

 2011 Coach Eddie Reese 6-1 more info to follow

• Three-time NCAA Champion (2012 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay, 800 freestyle relay)
• Eight-time All-American
• Two-time honorable mention All-American
• Seven-time Big 12 Champion

Michael McBroom is the first Longhorn to ever win the NCAA Championship in the 1650 free.

As of 2015 Michael McBroom has the fastest Longhorn time in the 1650 free.

Scott Jostes was a member to the 800 free relay team that set the 800 free style record that still stands as of November 2019.

2012-2013 – Coach Eddie Reese, more info to follow

2011-2012 swimming – won the Big 12 championship with 1014.5 points, making this the 33rd consecutive Big 12 championship.  Nick D’Innocenzo was the most outstanding swimmer. Drew Livingston was the most outstanding diver. Two divers and 15 swimmers qualified for the NCAA championship.

• Two-time NCAA Champion (2012 400 freestyle relay, 2010 200 IM)
• Three-time All-American
• Four-time honorable mention All-American
• Big 12 Champion

Rick Berens and Brendan Hansen win Olympic Gold

2013 – Coach Eddie Reese more info to follow

Texas places second to California.  Eddie Reeces record increased to 26 top three NCAA finishes in 33 years of coaching.  Austin Surhoff , Cole Cragin, Patrick Murphy , all place in their specialty. . Diver Drew Livingston was an All-American for the 3rd consecutive time.

2014 – Coach Eddie Reese more info to follow

As of 2015 Clark Smith has the fastest Longhorn time in the 200 butterfly.

2015 – coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin National Champions more info to follow

As of 2015 Will Licon has the fastest Longhorn time in the 400 IM.

As of 2015 Clark Smith has the fastest Longhorn time in the 500 free.

As of 2015 Jack Conger has the fastest Longhorn time in the 100 Butterfly.

2016 – coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin National Champions more info to follow

Townley Haas is the first Longhorn to win the NCAA Championship in the 500 free.

2016 – Olympians Representing The USA more info to follow

Kris Kubik – Eddie Reese assistant Coach is inducted into the HOH in 2011

                                     2016 Longhorn Olympians

Olympians  more info to follow

Townley Haas, Clark Smith, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen finalized berths on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Men’s Swimming Team.

Jimmy Feigen olympics 2012, 2016

Joseph Schooling Olympiad for Singapore

Jack Conger World record video is below

https://youtu.be/n7Je75ONZwY

Link to swimmers participating in the Rio Olympics is below.

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2016/7/12/12153384/texas-longhorns-rio-olympics-2016-swimming

Reflection point -Eddie Reese by TexasSports.com

 Eddie Reese, the only college swimming coach to win NCAA team titles in five separate decades, has established a tradition of excellence in Austin and set the standard in collegiate swimming through his 44 years at Texas. A three-time United States Men’s Olympic Team head coach, Reese is the winningest coach in the sport’s history with 15 NCAA team titles, a figure that also positions Texas as the winningest NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving program.

After placing 21st at the NCAA Championships in his first season (1979) at Texas, Reese’s teams have never finished lower than seventh at the national meet. His Texas team won the 2022 Big 12 Conference crown and finished second at the NCAA Championships, continuing two incredible streaks: 42 consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship and 43 consecutive conference titles. Along the way, Reese has developed 73 NCAA individual champions, 54 national champion relays, 268 All-Americans and 29 Olympians who have won 39 gold medals, 16 silver medals and eight bronze medals.

Under Reese, Texas has placed second 13 times at the NCAA Championships, and Reese’s teams have finished in the top three at the NCAA Championships in 35 of his 44 seasons at Texas. The Longhorns have maintained their dominance at the conference level, winning all 26 Big 12 crowns and 43 consecutive conference titles.

Reese’s Honor Roll at Texas

Reese was the American Swim Coaches’ Association (ASCA) Coach of the Year in 2009, 2006, 2005 and 1991. In 1991, he earned the National Collegiate Scholar and Swimming Trophy from the College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCA). The trophy, which is the highest honor bestowed by the CSCA, recognizes a coach’s overall contribution to the sport over an extended period of time and is reserved for an individual who has represented both collegiate athletics and swimming with honor and pride throughout his career. In November 1996, Reese was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor, which recognizes former athletes, coaches and staff members “who have brought honor and renown to The University of Texas.” Reese was voted directly into the Hall of Honor as a special exception to the rule, which stipulates that a coach or staff member must be retired five years before consideration.

He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco on Feb. 12, 2002. Just the third member of the Hall of Fame to be voted in based on swimming credentials, Reese joined an impressive list of UT alumni who have been honored, including Darrell K Royal, Roger Clemens, Earl Campbell, Tom Kite, Mack Brown and Cliff Gustafson.

The Reese honor roll culminated in May 2002, when he was elected as an honor coach and inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Reese was inducted along with eight other honorees in the Class of 2002.

The Reese Philosophy

Reese’s ability to train his athletes technically has been a big part of his success, but his unique approach to swimming and training may be his best attribute. That combination is what makes Reese one of the world’s finest coaches, regardless of sport. He possesses a thorough knowledge of swimming fundamentals, an eye for talent, a genuine care for his athletes and the ability to communicate and motivate.

Reese’s style is the staple of the Longhorns program. Always calm, unflappable, amiable and quick with a joke, he is a man who likes to work hard but doesn’t see why hard work must be dull. The Texas team reflects the coach’s personality. It is a loose bunch, but the team knows when to buckle down. In fact, Reese contends that his championship teams have excelled because they outwork everybody else. At Texas, team success derives from individual accomplishments. For Reese, the individual swimmers have priority.

“I’ve always worried about the individual first,” Reese said. “We don’t talk about winning the NCAA Championship. We talk about what it takes for each individual to get better. What satisfies me as a coach is seeing people go faster than they ever have before. With that focus, we are in a battle for the championship every year. I like that, too.”

Former UT assistant coach Kris Kubik, an All-American swimmer at North Carolina State and graduate assistant under Reese at Auburn in the mid-1970s, sees Reese as a teacher in the best sense of the word.

“Eddie is constantly teaching,” Kubik said. “He does a lot of talking about life, as much as he talks about swimming. He talks about how to apply what you learn in swimming to life. It’s very important to him that his swimmers enjoy what they are doing. Eddie has designed a program that is totally unpredictable. I don’t think there is a harder working team in the country, but we spread our workout over the entire week and it’s never the same on any given day, so we have the ability to be stay loose.”

The idea of finding enjoyment in the pursuit of one’s maximum potential is the heart of Reese’s coaching philosophy.

“A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything,” Reese said. “In swimming, there is no easy way. To succeed in any sport there are two keys – after the obvious needs of a certain amount of ability and hard work – and these keys are self-image and enjoyment. It’s something you have to work on every day, day-in and day-out. Everybody knows how to work people hard. The key is to work them hard and protect the mind.”

More Reflection Points on Eddie Reese.

by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

24 March 2024, 12:03pm

Farewell to a Legend: For One Final Time, Eddie Reese Leads Texas Into NCAA Champs

As Eddie Reese plans to retire from coaching after the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, he’ll be leaving the swimming world with a plethora of accomplishments, but he and those who know him will immediately tell you that the most important part of his legacy has been—and will always be—about the people and the lives he’s touched.

A few things transpired when Eddie Reese was called to the stage to accept the Impact Award at last fall’s USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards. For one, the legendary coach was greeted by a standing ovation, deep appreciation for his years of contributions to the sport. Additionally, his speech was a clinic in humility, as it focused on the individuals Reese encountered during his career, not himself.

I agree both from personal experience and from hearing what so many have said about Eddie. We don’t always agree about everything, but we agree about something he has mastered — the love of his swimmers and the care for everyone around him. He indeed makes you better every time you interact with him. It’s by nature and by intention. He’s a role model for anyone in any field who wants to master leadership, both personal and of others. He’s in league with John Wooden; and not many can even be mentioned in the same sentence. He has earned the love, respect, and admiration of every person in and who watches our sport. Thank you Eddie Reese. Stick around; we still need you. Steve Friederang

Reese’s address to a who’s-who gathering of past and present American swim stars also featured—as expected—an entertaining degree of comedy. Reese has long been known for his deck-side jokes and ability to bring humor to the sport. So, when he commented on the velvety nature of the dining room’s napkins, the 82-year-old had the room laughing.

For years ahead, stories will be shared about Reese’s influence, and his jokes will endure. But Reese is departing his position as the head coach of the men’s program at the University of Texas following the United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, and that decision means fewer opportunities to celebrate, learn from and laugh with a man who has given swimming so much over five decades.

This week’s NCAA Championships will be the last for Reese, who initially announced his retirement after the 2021 season, only to reverse that decision a few months later. This time around, Reese is confident it is time to move on, with time with his wife, Elinor, and their grandchildren high on the agenda.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Where Reese’s Longhorns will finish at his final NCAAs is uncertain. This squad is not expected to challenge for a national title, although a top-five finish is within reach. Then again, there’s always been much more to his role than putting banners in the rafters of the Jamail Swim Center.

“The thing I got most out of coaching swimming has nothing to do with winning or trophies or anything like that,” Reese said. “It all has to do with interpersonal relationships. Coaches are in a great position that I love because I’m a firm believer that if the purpose of our life is to help, it puts us in a position to do just that. In one of the books (I read), we all know the saying, ‘You can’t take it with you when you die.’ And then, underneath that, it said, ‘The only thing you take with you is that which you’ve given others.’ We’re here to help, and I’ve been able to do that.”

SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS

Eddie Reese has maintained a consistent mantra during his tenure at Texas and at Auburn University prior to arriving in Austin. Reese has always focused on developing quality people and helping them get faster from the start of the season through its conclusion, and from year to year. Because of that approach, Texas enjoyed significant success.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

And as much as Reese does not toot his vast accomplishments, it is necessary to provide a snapshot of his achievements. Consider:

• He has led Texas to 15 NCAA titles, the most in history, with those crowns spread over five decades.

• His teams have finished runner-up at the NCAA Championships on 13 occasions, and boast 36 top-three finishes.

• Under Reese’s guidance, Texas has won 45 consecutive conference championships, 27 in the Southwest Conference and 18 in the Big 12 Conference.

• Entering this season, Reese-led athletes had won 75 individual NCAA titles and 55 relay crowns.

• He is a three-time United States Olympic head coach and multi-time assistant.

• Reese has guided 29 Longhorns to Olympian status, with those athletes combining for 63 Olympic medals (39 gold, 16 silver, eight bronze).

• He is an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

There is plenty more that could have been included in that list of achievements, but those selected items clearly reflect a man who has established himself as a measuring stick of success. How has he excelled? In part, it hinges on his longstanding approach.

“To coach swimming well, it cannot be a job. It’s got to be a lifestyle,” Reese said. “In reality, I haven’t had a job for the 58 years that I’ve coached. It has been an incredible part of my life. And the incredible part has had nothing to do with winning and losing. It has to do with the people that I’ve been lucky enough to be around.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Beyond coaching some of the greatest athletes in swimming’s history, including Hall of Famers Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker, Reese has always focused heavily on relationships and the bigger picture. He and former longtime assistant Kris Kubik shared an enduring trust. Of late, Reese has mentored assistant Wyatt Collins.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

As for his athletes, it was critical they felt appreciated and were given an opportunity to succeed in and out of the pool. If a swimmer needed a boost, Reese was there to motivate. If an athlete was hurting, Reese knew how to console. If a situation required some levity, Reese was more than happy to infuse humor.

Simply, he was the complete package.

“He can impart wisdom to you in any situation, whether it’s sitting on the bleachers, in a pool, on a plane, whether it’s in an airport, in the weight room, out to dinner, in a car ride, and it can seemingly come out of nowhere, sometimes,” Collins said. “You might be talking hamburgers, and he drops a nugget on you where it’s like, ‘Wow, that just shook my world.’ Usually, you walk away with a little more experience than when you sat down with him. That’s why he’s Eddie Reese. That’s why there’s never going to be anyone like him. We’re all better for having him in our lives.”

HIS LEGACY WILL ENDURE

Eddie Reese will walk away from the day-to-day demands of coaching in the coming months. Before that day, a few of his athletes will challenge for NCAA success and berths to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Whatever unfolds will be.

What is guaranteed to endure into the future is the legacy Reese has established since stepping foot on the University of Texas campus in the late 1970s. In the days since, he has etched himself not only as a coaching great, but as a man who has emphasized the importance of developing high-character human beings and giving them what they needed.

“Eddie has always cared about us,” Hansen once said. “It wasn’t just about making us faster swimmers, even though he’s a master at doing that. It was about making us better people. He’s the greatest coach this sport has ever seen. I don’t think anyone can argue that. But he’s also one of the most special people I’ve ever met.”

1931 Joe Turner wins the Best Water-Man Cup . This cup is given annual to the best all round swimmer by the Texas Book Store.  Athlete must be efficient in all water sports including diving to qualify. 

(looking for Turners photo)

 Skippy Browning | Diving | 1950-1952

The six-time diving All-American posted a three-year unbeaten streak in dual meet competitions while competing for the Longhorns. Browning won two NCAA and Southwest Conference titles while helping Texas win three-straight SWC titles and earned Diver of the Year accoladed in 1951 and 1952. He was a gold medalist in the 3-meter springboard in the 1952 Olympics and was the first of the long list of Longhorns to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Rick Carey | Swimming | 1982-1984

The five-time NCAA champion won three-straight titles in the 200 backstroke, while setting NCAA records each time. He helped Texas win SWC Championships from 1982-84. His Olympic career was highlighted by a pair of gold medals in the 1984 games with American records in both events. A decade letter, Carey was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Ian Crocker | Swimming | 2000-2004

Crocker was known as one of the most dominant butterfly swimmers leading Texas to a pair of NCAA team titles, 10 NCAA Individual titles, 24 All-America honors, 21 Big 12 titles and was tabbed as the 2004 CSCAA Swimmer of the Year. Crocker was also a three-time Olympic gold medalist and held the 100m butterfly world record for six years.

Troy Dumais | Diving. | 1999-2002

Dumais is the lone Longhorn to be a four-time Olympian for the United States, bring home a bronze medal in the 3-meter synchronized springboard at the 2012 London Games. While in Austin, he was a seven-time NCAA Champion and earned All-America honors four-straight seasons and was the first diver in NCAA history to claim four consecutive titles on the 3-meter springboard.

Townley Haas | Swimming | 2016-2019

Among his 10 NCAA titles, six of them were in individual events while helping Texas win four relays at the NCAA Championships. During his time, no one could stop Haas in the 200 freestyles, winning three-straight titles in the event. The 17-time All-American was the first man under 1:31 in the 200 free and two years later, established the NCAA, American and US Open records at 1:39.50. To add to the list, Haas is an Olympic gold medalist in the 800 freestyle relay team.

Brendan Hansen | Swimming | 2001-2004

There was no beating Hansen in the breaststroke during his collegiate tenure. Hansen was the first, and is still the only, to go eight-for-eight in NCAA breaststroke events. He helped Texas to five relay titles and three team titles, before being named the CSCAA Swimmer of the Year in 2003 with NCAA records in the 100 and 200 backstroke. He was also a three-time Olympic gold medalist .

Will Licon | Swimming| 2014-2017

With 11 national titles under his belt, seven individual and four relay, Licon left the Longhorns with a lasting legacy. He earned 15 All-American honors and captured 12 Big 12 titles, held six Big 12 records and set NCAA, American and US Open records in the breaststroke in the 200 breaststroke at the 2016 NCAA Championships.

Joseph Schooling | Swimming | 2015-2018

In his time with the Longhorns, Schooling won four individual NNCAA titles in the butterfly and seven All-American honors. In his sophomore season, he set NCAA and US Open records in both butterfly events and shared CSCAA Swimmer of the Year honors with his teammates Caeleb Dressell and Ryann Murphy. He became Singapore’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist when we won the 100 butterfly with the Olympic record.

Frank Erwin Award Winners 

What does it mean to be a Texas Longhorn Swimmer? By Philip Nenon, ’79 – ‘82

Article is from the “WETS” newsletter

When asked earlier this week to share my thoughts on this question, I found it both easy and very difficult. I’d spent time thinking about this topic with Kris’ retirement announcement. So I sit here now with a mix of emotions extremely happy for Kris and grateful for his (and Eddie’s) tremendous impact on me as an ex-athlete, person and even parent. But also a strange mix of excitement and some anxiety for coming changes with Texas Swimming since it remains important to me and generations of former UT swimmers.

Now the hard part of boiling down into a few words this question of what does it mean to be a Texas Longhorn Swimmer after this interesting week.

Accomplishment: Every one of the roughly 70 young men and women that jump in the pool every season day-in and day-out, come away with a sense of accomplishment. Some end up being Olympic gold medalists individually and national champions as a team. But the accomplishment is the same for the 35th swimmer on the roster struggling to make the traveling team or qualify for a championship time cut who put in the effort, improved their times, and helped push and inspire their teammates. Texas Swimming ingrained in all of us the recognition and appreciation for accomplishment for both self and team, which may be the greatest gift that can be imparted.

Rest of Phillips insightful article continues after the photos

Other things being a Texas Longhorn Swimmer mean to me: Embracing learning and welcoming criticism.

Learning to handle failure as well as success. Helping build a legacy that is continually rebuilt by those that follow. And transitioning my passion from “doing” swimming to contribute by watching and supporting.

Finally, the lingering satisfaction of jumping back in the pool to work out (even after a 25-year gap), not to relive past glories but simply to enjoy being an “old geezer” paddling along for the same physical and emotional benefits you got as a kid leading you to the Texas Swim Center, resulting in lessons and relationships that last a lifetime.

Well said!!! Philip was an all-American, member of the 1981 National Championship team and Captain of the 1982 team. He rarely misses an NCAA championship meet and is undoubtedly one of our most loyal WETS and Longhorn swimming and diving supporters. Hook’em!

Brendan Hansen induction speech to the TSDHOF is below.

http://www.tsdhof.org/brendan-hansen

2019 Ricky Berens is inducted into the Texas swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Berens won the gold medal in the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay with Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and Peter Vanderkaay, setting a new world record of 6:58.56.

Berens swam the third leg of the 4×100-meter freestyle preliminaries at the 2009 World Championships in Rome and earned a gold medal when the U.S. team placed first in the final. Berens also swam in both the preliminaries and final of the 4×200-meter freestyle, which won gold.[4] In the final, Berens swam the second leg in 1:44.13, the second fastest split from anyone in the event.

Nate Dusing came to Texas as an outstanding age group and high school swimmer, setting multiple age group national records as a butterflier and was named the 1997 USA High School Swimmer of the Year. He went on to become one of the University of Texas’s most versatile and outstanding swimmers. Nate was a member of two NCAA Championship teams (2000, 2001), an individual NCAA Champion in the 200 IM and 200 Back (2001), and a member of nine NCAA Championship relay teams while at Texas. Dusing represented the United States at two consecutive Summer Olympics. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, he earned a silver medal by swimming for the second-place U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. Four years later, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, he received a bronze medal by swimming for the third-place U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He was also a member of gold medal-winning U.S. relay teams in the 4×100-meter freestyle at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships and the 2004 World Short Course Championships. Dusing currently works in the Medical Device industry and resides in Dripping Springs, Texas, with his wife of 18 years and Texas Soccer letter winner Michelle (Wickwire) Dusing. They have two daughters, Lyla (14) and Eva (12).

Unlike Texas Basketball, football, track, and Baseball, very few books or research materials discuss Longhorn diving. I hope that with time, this site can add some historical insight and tell the full and compelling story of the Texas diving tradition. This project will take more time to build.

WETS (Working Exes for Texas Swimming)  was organized in 1968 when a group of former Longhorn swimmers, divers, and coaches, headed by Tex Robertson, met to promote University of Texas aquatic excellence. The initial goals of WETS were to Honor the past accomplishmentsU.T.U.T. swimmers and divers, Promote the present and future success of Texas Swimming and Diving, and Provide a common forum for all former Texas swimmers, divers, coaches, and fans to gather and stay connected. Their site information is listed below.

http://www.wetswim.org/about-us/founders-page/

         1950 Coach Tex Robertson 

03.25.2014

Bill Little commentary: The best that ever was

The Diving well at the Lee and Joe Jamail Swimming Center is named for a former Longhorn who many consider the greatest diver of all time.

Bill Little, Texas Media Relations

When the nation’s finest collegiate men’s divers gather for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Lee and Joe Jamail Swimming Center this weekend in Austin, they will be entering hallowed ground—or hallowed water, if you will.

That’s because the center’s Diving well is named for a former Longhorn who many consider the greatest diver of all time and who was as good in his sport as any athlete in UTU.T.istory.

David “Skippy” Browning was born in Boston in 1931 and started diving when he was four years old. By the time he got to the university in the late 1940s, he had entered his first competition as a diver at the age of ten. By the mid-1950s, he had won a doA.A.U. AAU and NCAA championships, and he had dominated the 1952 Olympics.

At the 1952 U.S.lympic Trials in New York, Browning won the competition by 100 points.

Browning, who moved with his family to Corpus Christi when he was three, grew up in Dallas and began competing under the tutelage of his father. Legend has it that he was turned down for an athletics scholarship at Texas and he started his collegiate journey at Wayne State in Michigan. That w s before, so the story goes, that a rising young Texas supporter named Frank Erwin arranged for him to get a scholarship at UTU.TBrowni g transferred, and the rest became history.

In a time when Ohio State dominated NCAA diving, Browning became the nation’s hope to break the Buckeyes’ lock on the podium at the diving events. As a sophomore, he finished second by .06 points to Ohio State’s Bruce Harlan, and there began an unmatched rivalry between the two. At most meets, they swapped first and second place regularly, leaving the rest of the field behind.

Harlan edged Browning for a spot on the team and won the gold medal at the London Olympics in 1948, but by 1952, Browning had surpassed him. Judges called him “No Splash” because of what they termed his “phenomenal ability to knife into the water without a splash.” Others credited his remarkable ability to adjust a dive in the air to a peripheral vision that was so phenomenal that diving against him was “no contest.”

It was at 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland, that Browning won the admiration of the world with his amazing gold medal winning performance. Browni g was so impressive, some who knew the sport well said that the sport-crazed Russians actually trained seven cameras on his every move to study him in an effort to emulate his success.

“They watched everything from how he prepared before a dive to how he toweled off afterwards,” said a former coach.

During his Texas career, Skippy was named All-American in 1950, 1951 and 1952. In all three years, he won the Southwest Conference diving championship on both the one-meter and three-meter boards. He dom nated the sport as no other had ever done. He wen undefeated in evS.W.C. SWC dual meet. Includ d in his success were eiA.A.U. AAU national diving titles and four NCAA titles.

In the spring of 1952 at the intercollegiate competition at Yale, he was given a perfect score of ten on a cutaway 1-1/2 pike, rated one of the most difficult of dives. He mad up his own special dives and A.A.U. AAU rules committee officially adopted some of them.

Popular on the campus because of his good nature as much as his athletics skills, he was named a “Goodfellow” by the Cactus Yearbook in both 1951 and 1952.

The 1950s, however, were way before endorsements made it lucrative to be an athlete. Skippy graduated from UTU.T.ith a degree in business administration in January of 1953. By the , he was married (to Corinne (Cody) Couch; Sept. 7, 1950), and he chose to enter the U.U.S.avy. He rec ived his pilot’s wings as a Lt. JG in June of 1955.

In the spring of 1956, he was two weeks away from beginning his Olympic training for the Games in Melbourne, Australia. Statio ed in California, he was on a cross country training flight in his AFJS Fury, an aircraft carrier jet. In a f eld near Rantoul, Kan., Browning died when the plane crashed. He was 25 years old.

As the world mourned his loss, accolades began to pour in. He was named to the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame in 1957. In 196 , he was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in a class that included Dana X. Bible, Jack Gray and Ernie Koy. He was named to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1962.

In a medium that Skippy Browning could have only imagined, there are actually clips on the Internet of a few of Browning’s dives. There s no record of what happened to the film from the seven Russian cameras, but despite placing three divers in the top nine in the springboard, the Soviets did not win a medal.

What Skippy Browning proved so long ago was that Diving is an art. In its own way, it is the freeform of humanity, twisting and turning in time so as to create the perfect entrance into the bright blue water.

And as the young men of this 21st Century mount the board for their flight, it is not only excellence that they are pursuing.

In the Diving well at Texas, it is the memory, and the image, of perfection.

1950-1952 Browning was the best springboard diver in the world. He won eight natioA.A.U. AAU diving championships, two NCAA crowns, and he was honored as a three-time All-American (1950-1952). In the 1952 Helsinki Olympics he was the  gold medalist He is a member of the Helms Hall Diving Hall of Fame, a 1962 inductee into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and The University of Texas Longhorn Hall of Honor.

At 25 he was killed in a Navy jet crash. Horns p!!

1951- 1971 Coach Hank Chapman Swimming and diving Coach

1966

Hank Chapman was a All American in the 3 meter dive in 1940;

Inducted into H.O.H. HOH in 1982; and

Appointed the diving coach for the 1964 U.U.S.lympic team.

For almost 50 years he  dedicated himself to teachP.P.E.P.E. d swimming at UTU.T

1976-1994-Coach Mike Brown Diving Coach pending more data

Coach Brown S.W.C. SWC Coach of the Year in 1976-AAU Director 1977 and 1980- Three of his divers earned spots on the Olympic team.

A legendary diving coach at the University of Texas from 1976-1994, Brown was named National Diving Coach of the Year three times and was part of 14 national championship and 31 conference championship teams at UTU.TWhile n Austin, Brown coached 28 all-Americans, seven individual national champions, 18 national team members, five Olympians and served as a diving coach at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics.

A link to Coach Mike Brown’s Induction ceremony into H.O.H. HOH is below

http://www.tsdhof.org/mike-brown

1978 – Coach Brown

Diving team is composed of two members from Sweden and one from Canada. Four mbers of the diving team qualify for the 1A.A.U. AAU national championship.  Beite Your , Christensen, and Lilgeber represented UT well. 

1979- Coach Mike Brown Diving Coach pending more data

Matt Scoggin is a diver for Texas under Coach Mike Brown. Matt w ll become the Head Diving Coach at Texas in 1996.

1980 and 1981- Coach Mike Brown Diving Coach

Men’s team in 1981 placed 3rd at S.W.C. SWC meet. David indsey is the only men’s diver to be invited to the National meet  and Erin Beiter was the only Longhorn diver that made the national meet.

1982- 1986 Coach Brown 

Scoggins became part of diving history when all three judges awarded him a perfect 10 on a dive. Coach rown is diving coach of the year for the 1982-1983 season.

1984 – 1985

Matt Scoggins qualifies for the NCAA championships. Jennif r Wagner and Emily Sullivan qualify for the Diving NCAA championship.

The 1986-1987  divers are part of the Horns 4th National Championship.   Qualifiers for the NCAA championship were Hallee, Overmyer, Caron Arnold, and Tollan.   At S.W.C. SWC meet all the Women divers made the finals.

The 1988 Coach Mike Brown Diving Coach pending more data

The 1988 women’s Diving consisted of three sophomores and two freshman and Coach Brown thought it was his best team in a long time. All t women qualified for the zone meet. The m sent two divers to the NCAA meet.- Kurt Bubnis and Christian Sryen .  The Horns beatU.S.C. USC and #9 UCLA during the season.

 1989 Coach Mike Brown Diving Coach pending more data

Rhodes and Gardner were the only two men qualifiers for diving at the NCAA national championship, but each helped assure the national Championship for Texas.

Kelly Jenkins wins the National Championship in the 3-meter dive. All American 8 times

In 1989, women divers contributed to the S.W.C. SWC championship. Jenny Reen, Patty Overmeyer, and Kelly Jenkins led the team. The women placed second at the national meet, behind Stanford.

Jason Rhodes (3-meter dive) captures the individual National title championship.

Jason Rhodes says, “Diving is probably one of the most mentally taxing sports. You can have all the athletic ability in the world, but if you don’t have it together mentally, you’re not going to win any championships. “

Kelly Jenkins wins the National Championship in the 3-meter dive. All American eight times.

1990 Coach Mike Brown, Diving Coach, pending more data – National Champions

Season was plagued with injuries, but Coach Mike Brown said “this team is one of the best quality teams I’ve had…..” The points scored in Diving helped the swimmers win the national championship. Jenkin and Overmeyer were invited to the national meet. Two men also qualified for Nationals – Brandon Gardner and Jason Rhodes.

1990-1991 Coach Mike Brown, Diving Coach, pending more data

Diving Coach Mike Brown is National Coach of the Year

Mark Schubert  is the National Swim Coach of the Year

1990-1991 Coach Mike Brown

Diving was not widely followed in the 1990s, but the Longhorn women still excelled, winning 9 consecutive SWC championships and helping Swimming win its 7th national championship in 8 years. Terry Eipel led the women divers. Coach Brown said this was one of his best diving teams.

Women divers win S.W.C. SWC for the 9th consecutive time. Mike Brown is frustrated by the low attendance. He says, “Diving is very exciting: these divers perform at an excellent level. We’d love to see a stand built so more people could come and see for themselves.” The Cactus article by Angela Stanton says, “While Diving was not a sport with large amounts of publicity and support, the UTU.T.ivers have many ideas to remedy the problem. “The main problem is that no one knows we are here. “

1991- 1992 Coach Mike Brown Diving Coach pending more data

Men’s Diving

1992-1993 Coach Mike Brown, 17 years as Diving Coach – Coach Mike Brown is the National Coach of the Year

Men- Finished 3rd at the NCAA championships.

Steve Page and Sam Arieff are the diving team leaders. Divers helped the swim team win its 14th consecutive SWC. Arieff placed 33rd, and Page placed 34th at the national championship in the one-meter springboard.

Women Divers

Women have a great diving year. In the 3-meter national standings, Robin Carter places 2nd, Terri Seipel 8th, and Sherry Wigginton 11th. On the platform, Wigginton takes 5th, Carter 7th, and Seipel 8th.

1993- 1994 Coach Mike Brown, Diving Coach, pending more data

Robin Carter wins the National Championship in the 3M dive. All American 9 times

Coach Matt Scoggin joins Coach Reese as the diving coach. He was also the Olympic diving Coach in 2000, 2008, and 2012.

1995 Coach Matt Scoggins

1996 1977 Coach Matt Scoggins

1997-1998 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

1998-1999 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

1999-2000 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

2001 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

2002 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

Troy Dumais won individual titles on both the one-meter and three-meter springboards during the meet to close his career with seven total championships. With his victory on the three-meter, Dumas is the first diver in NCAA history to win four straight years in one event. He also joins an elite group of nine swimmers to ever win an individual national title for four straight years.

Troy Dumais won individual titles on both the one-meter and three-meter springboards during the meet to close his career with seven total championships. With his victory on the three-meter, Dumais became the first diver in NCAA history to win four straight years in an event and also joined an elite group of nine swimmers to ever win an individual national title four straight years.

Troy Dumais Is The Only UT Athlete That Participated In The Olympics Games 4 Times

Troy Dumais named James E. Sullivan Award finalist

2004 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

Monica Maxwell is diviM.V.P. MVP for both team and academics (no picture)

2006-2007 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

2007-2008

Texas placed 2nd in the Big 12 tournament; Mary Yarrison placed 2nd in the one-meter NCAA diving championship. The t m placed 14th in the NCAA championship. Jessi Livingston qualified for platform Olympic trials.

Hall of Honor inductee- Jessica Livingston wins the National Championship in the platform.

2008-2009 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

Jessica Livingston and Shelby Cullinan were All-American divers. In the men’s event, Drew Livingston won the one-meter, and Jonathan Wilcox qualified for the NCAA meet.

Drew Livingston, at one meet, swept all three diving events.

2009-2010 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

 NCAA Champion, 2009 1-meter diving, 2012 1-meter diving
• 2009 U.U.S.ational Champion, platform diving
• Seven-time All-American
• Three-time Big 12 Champion
• NCAA and Big 12 record holder, platform diving
• 2010 Academic All-Big 12 (first team)
• Member of Big 12 Commissioner[apos]s Honor Roll (Fall 2009, Spring 2010)

2010 Coach Matt Scoggins 

2011 Coach Matt Scoggins pending

Scoggin named USOC National Diving Coach of the Year

2012

2013

Top of the Charts 2013

2014

2015

Longhorns are having a party  Splishing and Splashing to national championships

1979- To Present Eddie Reese

Athletic Director Coach Darrell K. Royal made many wise decisions in hiring coaches for Texas. Cliff Gustafson, Abe Lemons, and Eddie Reese are three of them. DKR, the most accomplished coach in UT history, did not know it when he hired a man who would take the mantle from him.

For those who know him, his secret to success is intuition, brains, and a magnetic personality. Reese is a long term thinker always five years ahead of the game. Alcalde tells the story of how Shaun Jordan, who after placing 3rd in the state high school meet, thought his career was over, but Reese saw a beautiful stroke and asked Shaun to walk-on at Texas.

The rest is Longhorn’s swimming history and is explained in detail in this chronological history of Longhorn swimmers at Texas.

NCAA Championship (1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2015, 2016,2017)

Kubick says of Reese, “He is a brilliant human being. “He’s brilliant at reading people and understanding them. Alcalde says Reece has a “combination of smarts, intuition, hard work, and a dash of serendipity.”

Tony Scott is an All American

• His teams win an amazing 32 consecutive conference titles from 1980 through 2017.

• He coaches 42 individual NCAA champions, 204 All-Americans, and 26 Olympians who have won 29 gold medals.

• 1992 he is the coach of the men’s swimming team at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

• Voted NCAA Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year eight times: 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2001.

• ASCA (American Swim Coaches’ Association )Coach of the Year in 1991, 2005, 2006, and 2009.

• In 1991, he won the coveted CSCA award for the coach who contributed the most to the sport of swimming.

• Reese was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2002 and the Hall of Honor in 1996.

• In 2002, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Eddie Reese developed the “wheels” method, which involved a swimmer pulling himself up the Ramps at Memorial Stadium on a 2 x 4 plank with lawn mower wheels on the back.

1978-1979-Coach Eddie Reese 4-4

Eddies first year was the year football scholarship numbers were cut so swimmers got the full Swimming scholar allotment.

Media, programs, and magazines from Eddie Reese era are depicted in a slide show below.

SMU maintains its edge over the Longhorn men’s swim team by beating them for the 23rd consecutive time.  John Henry, Gary Grimsby, Ned Stack, and Duncan Hawthorn set a school record in the 400 relays, and John Kenny sets a school record in the 200 butterfly.

Tony Scott and Kelly Rives are All Americans

The 1980’s

During the 1980s, the Longhorns claimed three NCAA team titles (1981, 1988, 1989) and all 10 Southwest Conference crowns. In 1981, just three years after taking over the Texas program, Reese captured his first national team championship. From 1981 to 1986, Texas turned in two NCAA runner-up performances (1982, 1984) and placed third in the national meet three times (1983, 1985, 1986).

After Reese’s fifth-place showing at the NCAAs with Texas in 1987, the Longhorns closed the decade strong, reeling off back-to-back titles in 1988 and 1989. TexasSports.com

1980-Coach Eddie Reese 6-3

The 80’s belonged to the Longhorns

Team finishes only 12 points behind the Cal Berkeley national champions.

After 23 consecutive years of losing to SMU the Longhorns finally win the SWC. Swimmers win 12 of 18 events at the SWC meet setting one American record, 7 conference records, and 10 school records.

Clay Britt is the first Longhorn ever in the history of Longhorn swimmers to win an individual NCAA National Championship. He sets an American record in the 100 backstroke.

Clay Brit’s accomplishments include:

• 3-time NCAA 100 yard Backstroke Champion, 1980,81,82

• American Record 100 yard Backstroke, 1981

• 3 time NCAA 400 Medley Relay Champion, 1980,1981,1982

• Member 1982 US World Championships Swim Team in Equador

• Member US World University Games Swim Team 1981 in Romania

Clay Brit is now a Master Swim Instructor

Clay Brit, Scott Spann, Nick Nevid (no picture), and (Kris Kircher) are the first Longhorns to ever win the national championship in a relay event.

1981 Coach Eddie Reese National Champions 6-2

1981: UT CAPTURES FIRST NATIONAL TITLE
Event Champions:
– 100 butterfly
– 100 backstroke
– 50 freestyle
– 400 medley relay
– 400 free relay

Co- Captains were Scott Spann and Kris Kirchner.

After finishing a school-best second at the 1980 NCAA Championships, the Longhorns enter the ’81 season as the favorite to claim their first-ever national crown. Not only did they do just that, but they did it at their own pool. Scott Spann (100 butterfly) Clay Britt (100 backstroke) and Kris Kirchner (200 freestyle) each win titles as Texas outdistanced runner-up UCLA 259-189.

The Horns break school records in 6 events and SWC records in all relays.  At the national meet the Longhorns set three American records, two U.S. records, and two NCAA records.

Reese is named Coach of the year.

William Paulus Olympics 1980

At the University of Texas under Coach Eddie Reese, Paulus is a four-year all-American, five-time SWC champion, two-time NCAA champion and helps the Longhorns win their first-ever NCAA Championship in 1981. In 1980 he sets the world record and qualifies for the United State’s Olympic swim team; however, he did not attend the Olympics due to the U.S.’s boycott.

Kris Kirchner is the first Longhorn to ever win the NCAA Championship in the 50 free

Scott Spann is the first Longhorn to ever win the NCAA Championship in the 100 butterfly

1982-Coach Eddie Reese 7-1 Team finished 2nd to UCLA

1983-Coach Eddie Reese 5-2 THIRD AT THE ncaa MEET

1981- 1985 Matt Scoggin is an Olympian diver for Texas under Mike Brown. . Matt will become the Head Diving Coach at Texas in 1996.

1984-Coach Eddie Reese 7-2 Team was second at NCAA’s

At the SWC meet the Horns won the first 10 of 11 events in routing SMU.  The 400 yard medley relay consisting of Carey, May, Rives, and Ellison said a best time nationally for the year.

Rick Carey is the first Longhorn swimmer since 1936 to win an Olympic gold medal

Rick Carey is the first Longhorn to ever win the NCAA Championship in the 100 and 200 backstroke. He won in American record times.

Rick Carey – Olympics 1980 -1984

Rick Carey wins  the NCAA championship in the 200 backstroke three years in a row and the 100 back two years in a row.

Rick was the fastest back stroker in the world while he was a Longhorn. Setting records at the Pan Am games, NCAA, and Olympics. Rick was rewriting the back stroke book and pushing the envelope.

Physically you would never guess he was the greatest back stoker in the world. A perfect back stroker was 6 foot 6” tall and 195 pounds with long arms. Carey was just under 6 foot and 186 pounds but confined in his body is a upper torso that houses a powerful muscular body that lifts him high in the water.

When Rick lost at swimming, anger set in and revenge became a motive to win. As his father noted, “Something happens to Rick Carey when he loses.”

Rick like many great athletes sets high standards for himself and sometimes judges other people by those standards. That is a kiss of death in social situation where Carey expects perfection from a date or a friend. A teammate explained “he allows no error in himself, and he expects none in anyone else.”

“When it came to picking schools, Ricky told his father he didn’t want to be the big fish in a small pond,” “At the time, Texas was the biggest pond around. But what Ricky didn’t realize then”—and here Rick’s father flashes a broad smile—”was that he was going to be the biggest fish in any pond.”

1985-1986

Coach Eddie Reese- 4-1  Team wins SWc – more info to follow

At Nationals Carey and  Scoggins were National champs

1986-1987

Coach Eddie Reese 5-4 more info to follow

1986-1987-Coach Eddie Reese 10-1 more info to follow

1988-1989 – coach: Eddie Reese National Champions 8-3 more info to follow

Horns won their 9th straight SWC, winning 13 of 16 events. Andre duPlessis won the 1,650, Stackle the 200 breaststrokes, and Jacob, Anderson, Gjertsen, and Jordan won the 400 free relay.

Chris Jacobs, Shaun Jordan, Keith Anderson and Doug Gjertsen is the first Longhorn relay team  to win the 800 free in NCAA history.

Shaun Jordan and Chris Jacobs win Olympic gold. Shaun is the first Longhorn to ever win the NCAA Championship in the 100 free

Shaun Jordan Olympics 1988, 1992

Shaun Jordan is a member of four National Championship teams.

Link to Shaun Jordan ‘s acceptance speech at induction to TSDHOF

http://www.tsdhof.org/shaun-jordan/

Gjertsen and Stackle each capture titles (200 backstroke and 200 breaststroke) and three UT relays finish with top honors to help Texas edge runner-up USC by 54.5 points. Of UT’s 424 points, individuals score 304, and a whopping 179 are from the sophomore class.

1989- 1990 – Coach Eddie Reese National Champions

The two-time defending National Champion Longhorns did a three-peat.

The horns were 6-1 in the dual meet competition. Texas wins its 11th consecutive SWC title. Olsen, Werth, Saulnier, and Gjertsen set an American record in the 800 freestyle relay. The victory for the national championship was so large that every Longorn swimmer in the last three events could have skipped their races, and Texas still would have won.

Swimmer Kirk Stakle understands the importance of finishing second if you set a personal best time. Even though he finished 2nd in the 200, he enjoyed his moment breaking the American breaststroke record.

1989: BACK-TO-BACK
Event Champions:
– 100 freestyle
– 200 breaststroke
– 400 free relay
– 800 free relay
– 400 medley relay

Sophomore Shaun Jordan (100 freestyle) and Kirk Stackle (200 breaststroke) each captures individual titles as Texas cruises to its second straight title and finishes the 1980s with three national crowns. Doug Djertsen competes in 13 races in three days, scoring in three individual events, and anchors all four relays as the Longhorns tally 475 points to runner-up Stanford’s 396.

The Longhorn squads in the 1990s continued on that torrid pace, winning NCAA team titles in 1990, 1991, and 1996. The Longhorns finished second at Nationals in 1992 and 1994, placed third in 1993 and 1999, and took fourth in 1995. Texas also won each of the last seven SWC crowns (1990-96). TexasSports.com

1990 – 1991 coach: Eddie Reese National Champions 6-1

Jeff Thibault, Kirk Stackle, Shaun Jordan and Doug Gjertsen set the American record in the 400 Medley.

HORNS RING IN THE  90’s
Event Champions:
– 200 freestyle
– 100 breaststroke
– 200 free relay
– 800 free relay
– 400 medley relay

The Horns set an NCAA scoring record while winning their third-straight title, outdistancing USC 506-423. UT has 15 athletes score in 20 events, as Doug Gjertsen (200 freestyle) and Kirk Stackle (100 breaststroke) win titles and Shaun Jordan tallies three second-place finishes (50, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly). UT wins four of five relays, setting American records in the 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay. Josh Davis is a freshman.

Texas was the underdog after losing to Stanford earlier in the year. They were ranked #2. Texas had 11 All-Americans on this team

Shaun Jordan, Jeff Thibault, Adam Wergh, and Doug Dickins set the American record in the 200 Medley.

1991: FOUR IN A ROW
Event Champions:
– 50 freestyle
– 100 freestyle
– 3-meter diving
– 200 free relay
– 400 free relay
– 200 medley relay
– 800 free relay

Shaun Jordan wins the  (50 freestyle/ 100 freestyle)  while UT post wins in four of five relays in route to its fourth consecutive NCAA title. The Horns win the opening event, the 200 freestyle relay, by setting an American record (1:17.89), and lead from the start to finish in taking the title with 476 points to Stanford’s runner-up total of 420. UT is  the first school since USC (1974-77) to win four straight NCAA swimming and diving crowns.

1991-1992 – Coach Eddie Reese 4-3 Finished 2nd at the National meet.

Stanford demolished Texas at the championship meet 632 to 356. Jason Rhodes won the 3-meter dive. Jeff Thibault set a conference record in the 100 and 200 backstroke and Matt Stahlman was the SWC highpoint swimmer.

Shaun Jordan, Doug Gjertsen and Hans Dersch win Olympic Gold

1992- 1993 – Coach Eddie Reese 8-0 more info to follow

1994 – Coach Eddie Reese 11-1 more info to follow

Team finishes runner-up in the NCAA and wins their 15th consecutive SWC championship. Jason Fink, Josh Davis, Chris Eckerman and Gary Hall Jr. set the American, NCAA and U.S open record in the 400 meter relay. Swimmers set 5 SWC swim records .

Josh Davis is a 23 time All American and 4 time NCAA Champion.

Neil Walker came to UT as a freshman in 1994 and is  a huge influence on Longhorn teams for the next 14 years. Under Eddie Reese and Kris Kubik, Walker earn 25 all-American awards, back-to-back NCAA individual titles and six Big 12 conference titles. He is also a member of the 1996 NCAA championship team. He set an NCAA record in the 50-yard freestyle and swims the 100-yard back in 44.92 seconds, setting an American, U.S. Open, and NCAA record. Competing for Team USA for 10 years (1997-2007), including the 2000 & 2004 Olympic Games, Walker earns 17 gold medals, eight silver medals and one bronze medal. He is elected USA National Team captain in 2005, 2006 and 2007 during the last few years of his competitive career.     

As of 2015 Neil Walker has the fastest Longhorn time in the 100 Back.

Link to Neil Walker induction acceptance speech into TSDHOF is below

http://www.tsdhof.org/neil-walker

Jason Fink, Josh Davis, Chris Eckerman, Gary Hall, Jr set the American record in the 400 free.

1995 – Coach Eddie Reese 8-3 more info to follow

Horns win their 16th SWC championship . Matt Hooper wins the 1,650 freestyle . It is his 8th career SWC title , the most ever by a Texas swimmer. Derek Howorth ,Marty Hubbell , and Matt Beck also win their events. 15 swimmers qualify for the NCAA meet and the Horns place 4th at the Championship meet.

1996 – coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin (Diving) National Champions

1996- 5-1 Coach Eddie Reese National Champions more info to follow

1996: A TEAM EFFORT
Event Champions:
– 200 Free Relay
** Third Team In History To Win Team Championship With No Individual Titles **

Texas took an early lead with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay, and never looks back as UT is the only team to score in every swimming event. The Horns did not win an individual event, but earn five silver medals to demonstrate a strong team effort. Only the 1948 Michigan and 1983 Florida squads  pulled off the winless feat before. The Longhorns defeat Auburn 479-443.5, and in defending the “home pool,” made the phrase “Our Home, Our Pool, Our Title,” a reality once again.

Matt Scoggins Diving coach 1996 to present more info to follow

Brad Bridgewater, Josh Davis, and Gary Hall win Olympic Gold

Josh Davis is a 23 time All American and 4 time NCAA Champion.

Josh Davis- Olympics 1996

1997 – Coach Eddie Reese 5-4 more info to follow

As of 2015 Neil Walker has the fastest Longhorn time in the 100 Back.

1998 – Coach Eddie Reese 7-2 more info to follow

Gary Hall Olympics 1996, 2000, 2004

1999 – Coach Eddie Reese 6-2 more info to follow

2000 – coach: Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin National Champions

10-0 more info to follow

2000: RETURN TO GLORY
Event Champions:
– 100 backstroke
– 1-meter diving
– 3-meter diving
– 800 free relay
– 200 medley relay
– 400 medley relay

Jaimie Rauch Olympian 2000

Aaron Peirson Olympics 2000, 2004, 2008

2005-Aaron Peirsol is USA Swimming Athlete of the the Year.

He turns pro after just two years at Texas but still wins 6 NCAA championships and 11 All American honors.

As of 2015 Aaron Peirsol has the fastest Longhorn time in the 200 Back.

Tommy Hannan Olympics 2000

Troy Dumais leads  the Longhorn charge with victories on both the one- and three-meter springboards to help Texas capture its seventh NCAA title. Matt Ulrickson claims individual gold in the 100-meter backstroke. Texas relay teams also produce bringing home titles the 800-meter freestyle relay and the 200- and 400-meter medley relays. In all, the Longhorns place 29 swimmers and divers in individual-event finals to score 538 points and finish 153 points ahead of second place Auburn (385).

Ian Crocker, Gary Hall, Tommy Hannan, and Neil Walker win Olympic Gold

At the 2000 Olympics

Crocker and Peirsol joined with seven former Longhorns (Josh Davis, Dusing, Scott Goldblatt, Gary Hall Jr., Tommy Hannan, Jamie Rauch and Neil Walker – on the United States team. Overall, Longhorn swimmers accounted for one-third of the entire U.S. men’s team in Sydney.

• UT made up three-fourths of the 400-meter medley relay team that captured a gold medal with Walker, Hannan and Crocker.

• The 800-meter freestyle relay team, which was made up entirely of former Longhorns, won the silver medal with Davis, Dusing, Goldblatt and Rauch.

• Walker and Davis won silver medals with the 400-meter freestyle relay team,

• while Peirsol earned a silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke before even stepping foot on the UT campus.

At the 2004 Athens Games,

1. senior Nathan O’Brien qualified for Team Canada while a total of seven former Longhorns (Crocker, Nate Dusing, Scott Goldblatt, Gary Hall Jr., Hansen, Peirsol and Neil Walker) – equivalent to one-third of the entire men’s squad – earned a spot on the United States’ Olympic Team.

2. Leading the Texas swimmers at the 2004 Athens Games was Peirsol, who duplicated American teammate Lenny Krayzelburg’s sweep of the backstroke in Sydney, Australia, and became only the fifth swimmer in Olympic history and second Texas swimmer to win both backstroke events (Rick Carey, 1984);

3. Crocker, who won gold in the 400 medley relay, silver in the 100 butterfly and bronze in the 400 freestyle relay, and

4. Hansen, who captured gold in the 400 medley relay, silver in the 100 breaststroke and bronze in the 200 breaststroke.

5. Gary Hall, Jr., who was competing in his third-straight Olympiad, won the 50-meter freestyle for the second year in succession.

6. Hall, Jr., Dusing and Walker each earned bronze medals swimming the 400 freestyle relay,

7. while Walker also captured his second-straight gold medal in the 400 medley relay.

8. Meanwhile, Goldblatt captured his first career gold medal as a member of the 800 freestyle relay team. All said, Texas swimmers had medaled in six individual events and swam at least one leg on all three medal-winning relay squads.

Coach Reese was the Olympic head coach of the 1992 Barcelona, 2004 Athens games, and the 2008 Bejing games. In addition to his head coaching duties, Reese worked as an assistant coach for the U.S. in four other Olympiads: 1988 (Seoul), 1996 (Atlanta), 2000 (Sydney) and 2012 (London).

Beijing in 2008

Seven of Reese’s current and former swimmers – including first-time Olympians Ricky Berens, Scott Spann, Dave Walters and Garrett Weber-Gale – joined Reese and accounted for about one-third of the 22-member USA team while capturing eight gold medals and one silver medal.

• Weber-Gale joined Michael Phelps, Cullen Jones, and Jason Lezak to win his first gold medal and set a new world record in a thrilling 400m freestyle relay in Beijing,

• Berens teamed up with Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and Peter Vanderkaay to win Olympic gold and become the first 800m freestyle relay quartet to eclipse the seven-minute barrier in the event.

• Walters joined Berens in the 800m freestyle relay preliminary and also earned his first Olympic gold medal.

• Weber-Gale added his second relay gold when he anchored Team USA’s 400m medley relay in the preliminary round, where he was joined by Ian Crocker, who swam the butterfly leg in the preliminary round to earn a gold medal.

• Aaron Peirsol and Brendan Hansen swam the event’s backstroke and breaststroke legs in the finals, where Team USA won gold and set a new world record.

• Peirsol, a three-time Olympian, collected his third career individual Olympic gold medal by setting a new world mark in the 100m backstroke, and he added a silver medal in the 200m backstroke. Hansen reached the 100m breaststroke finals, where he placed fourth, and Crocker took fourth in the 100m butterfly finals.

London – 2012

Three swimmers from UT traveled to London in 2012 with Reese, who served as an assistant coach for the U.S. men. Making the Olympics team in 2012 were:

• Ricky Berens (200 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay), Jimmy Feigen (400 freestyle relay)

• and Brendan Hansen (100 breaststroke).

• Also, Christian Schurr qualified in the 200 breaststroke for Mexico. Individually,

• Hansen won the bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke and added gold in the 400m medley relay.

• Berens won gold in the 800m freestyle relay at a second consecutive Olympic Games, and Feigen joined Berens to win silver in the 400m freestyle relay.

Reese has coached a total of 26 Olympians who have gone on to win a combined 29 gold medals. His list of individual event gold medalists includes Brad Bridgewater, Rick Carey, Josh Davis, Hans Dersch, Gary Hall Jr., Chris Jacobs, Shaun Jordan, and Aaron Peirsol. Texassports.com paraphrased.

Hans Dersch, Barcelona 1992 1 Gold

Josh Davis, Atlanta 1996 3 Gold Sydney 2000 2 Silver

Justin Dumais, Men’s Diving Athens 2004

Troy Dumais, Sydney 2000 Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, 1 Bronze

Kubick says of Reese “He is a brilliant human being”, “He’s brilliant at reading people and understanding people. Alcalde says that Reese has a “combination of smarts, intuition, hard work, and a dash of serendipity”.

Note:  TLSN receives no consideration in any form for this informational piece On Eddie Reese book titled EDDIE REESE: Coaching Swimming, Teaching Life.

Reviews on the book include former Governor Rick Perry, Coach Mack Brown, and NBC Olympic Broadcaster Rowdy Gaines. The first round of sales with a hardcover, color pictures (65 pictures in the interior, 51 colors), with a dust cover is now sold-out. There were 200 “Legacy Editions” available. 

Coach Reese says, “Teaching physical education in the elementary school has more than qualified me to coach college swimming.”

All the proceeds go to the Reese-Kubik Legacy Campaign (men’s swimming and diving endowment) at the University of Texas. 

While Coach Reese has made a lot of wise decisions, the best one was hiring Coach Kubik. I think Coach Reese would agree that Coach Kubik contributed to many of the swimming honors and records listed below. 

Rick Carey said that the only relief he got from the monotony of training is the sarcastic humor of Longhorn coach Eddie Reese Eddie would say to Rick “I said swim slow, that isn’t fast enough to be slow”.

As of 2017 Reese and Kubik’s teams have won an incredible 32 consecutive conference titles.

• Reese has coached 42 individual NCAA champions, 204 All-Americans, and 26 Olympians who have won 29 gold medals.

• In 1992 he was selected as the coach of the men’s swimming team at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

• Coach Reese was voted NCAA Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year eight times: 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2001.

• Reese is American Swim Coaches’ Association Coach of the year in 1991, 2005, 2006, and 2009.

• He wins the coveted CSCA award in 1991 for the coach who contributes the most to the sport of swimming.

• In 2002 Coach Reese was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and in 1996 joined the Texas Longhorn Hall of Honor.

• In 2002 Coach Reese was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

• In 2011 Coach Kubik was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.

Eddie Reese developed the “wheels” method, which involved a swimmer pulling himself up the Ramps at Memorial stadium on a 2 x 4 plank with lawnmower wheels on the back.

This training technique helped the swimming stars in this photo reach the pinnacle of the swimming elite.

Left to Right: World Champion Nick Nevid, American Record Holder Clay Britt, Olympic Champion Steve Lundquist, World Record Holder William Paulus and Greg Hannigan, “Reese Swimmers” in 1984 a weekend of crawling through a two-mile, eighteen inch cave.

To order the book please visit www.eddiereesbook.com .

A condensed bullet point history of Texas Longhorn Swimming follows. Please go to the “credit” section of this website to view books you can purchase from many fine book stores about Texas Longhorn Sports, or please visit the official University of Texas Longhorn site Texassports.com for more detailed information.  

The Texas Longhorn men’s swimming teams have won 14 National Champions, and the Women’s  have won 9 .  No other Longhorn sport comes close to the success of the Longhorn swimming.

Coach Hank Chapman 1951-1972

• Inducted HOH: 1982

• 1940 All-American and SWC 3-meter diving champion

• Coaches  more than 20 All-American swimmers and divers

•  1964 U.S. Olympic diving coach

•  Receives Distinguished Coach Award from College Swimming Coaches Association

• He dedicates himself to teaching P.E. and swimming at UT and in Austin for almost 50 years

• Tutors David “Skippy” Browning to four NCAA titles and 1952 Olympic gold medal

• Guides UT to three SWC championships and 14 SWC runner-up finishes during his 20 seasons

The Hank Chapman Endowed Scholarship in Swimming was established by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System on January 24, 2000, for the benefit of Intercollegiate Athletics. Gift funds were provided by Mrs. Carol F. Heller of Dallas, Texas, a 1962 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and Mr. Jeffrey M. Heller of Dallas, Texas, a 1968 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. The endowment honors Mr. Hank Chapman of Austin, Texas.

Unfortunately Coach Chapmans teams were dominated by SMU and his teams got the reputations as the Avis of the SWC.  They try  harder but always finish 2nd.

1951- Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

This was the 18th of 20 SWC championships for the Longhorns.  Won 3 of 4 events against California teams.   This team set 4 SWC records 

Eddie Gilbert, Skippy Browning, Frank Campbell are All Americans

1952- Coach Hank Chapman Team wins SWC

Lou Manganiell, Wynant Wilson, Roger Tolar, and Bill Hoff were the leaders of the swim team. 

Skippy Browning, Bobby Brodnax are All Americans (no pictures).  Team wins SWC 

1953-Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

Team finishes 2nd in conference .

Brodnax took 3rd at Nationals. He is a three time All American.

TOPPING THE CHARTS 1953

1954-Coach Hank Chapman 

Second in the conference behind S.M.U.

 1955- Coach Hank Chapman S.W.C. Champions Pending more information

Melvin R. “Pat” Patterson had an excellent swim record. He was a U.T. swimming letterman three years 1954-1956. He was one of the top point-getters in 1955 in beating S.M.U.’s early string of S.W.C. championship. He was elected Captain of the 1956 Longhorn team that placed 2nd in the S.W.C.

1955- Coach Hank Chapman S.W.C. Champions 

At the S.W.C. meet, The Texas Tankers took the top 4 spots in the 440 and the top 3 spots in the 1500 meter. Charlton Hadden was the high point man at the S.W.C. meet. Joe Lee Neal and Richard Lawler were the other victors. Longhorns had on average at least two men in each individual race at the S.W.C. meet.   

https://www.texaslsn.org/patterson  link to Patterson’s men’s swimming coaching years. 

https://www.texaslsn.org/1971-1981-coach-patterson-wood link to Patterson’s women’s swimming coaching years. 

First Row- Schmucker, Patton- Second Row- Bonner, Wengert, Johnson, Huber

Third row- Hadden (Captain) Perkins, Patterson, anderson, Englehardt 

Fourth row- Medinilla, Neal, Nolan, Benz, Baker, Fennekohl, Schoelkopf (manager)

http://www.tsdhof.org/dotson-smith

Dotson received the TSDHOF Lifetime Achievement Award

In 1955, Dotson was invited to swim at UT Austin, and after graduating in 1961, he was hired as a coach at the Austin Aquatic Club. He also coaches in Mission, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi and retired from Texas public schools in 2011. In his 45-year coaching career in Texas schools, he has produced numerous state champions and several UIL swim teams to state championships. He also served as vice president of TISCA (1967), president of TAGS (1968), and AAU (1976), and has received numerous honors for his contributions to Texas swimming. 

Top of the Chart in 1955

Patterson, who is the UT team captain in 1955, is the first Longhorn to break 50 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle. Patterson is also instrumental in the design and construction of the UT Swim Center.  

1956-  Coach Hank Chapman 2nd in SWC

First row- Million, Lawler, Second row- Barden, Johnson, Bell, Patterson, Huber, Wilson

Third row- Neal, Perkins, Medinilla, Holder, Holsombach, Nolan and Harris 

Fourth row- Chapman, Smith, LeBourgeois, Griffith

Richard Lawler- All American 

1957 Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

Eddie Johnson- All American (no pictures)

1958-Coach Hank Chapman 2nd in the SWC

1959-Coach Hank Chapman Second in conference

Charles Lucas sets a new pool record in the 200 backstroke.  Heller sets two new pool records.  Lucas, Duwe, and Catlett set new SWC marks. This  year there are more Longhorn All Americans than  any previous year -Lucas, Heller, Duwe and Catlett. 

TOPPING THE CHARTS 1959

1960 Coach Hank Chapman 2nd in the SWC

Jeff Heller is the holder of 4 Longhorn team UT records.  Bob Taylor wins two events at the SWC meet. Texas qualifies 7 individuals for the NCAA meet but none placed. 

Jerry Katz is an All American

1961-Coach Hank Chapman  2nd in the SWC by one yard

Team took 4 individual first at the SWC meet.  Heller, Worthington, Lucas and Duwe  (in a new SWC times)  led the way.  At the AAU meet the Longhorns failed to pick up any first place finishes, but Duwe, Worthington , and the Longhorn 4oo medley relay managed to set 3 pool records. 

1962-Coach Hank Chapman 2nd in the SWC.Pending more information

Gordon Beavers is the only Longhorn winner at the SWC meet winning the 1 and 3 meter dives. 

Bud Beavers is an All American (no picture)

1963- Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

Jay Smith sets the school record in the 200 and 500 free.  Beaver wins both diving events at the AAU swim meet while Spears wins the 200 butterfly.  At Nationals Beaver places 4th in the 1 meter and 6th in the 3 meter diving events as Spears finishes 5th in the 200 butterfly. 

George Spear, Carroll Henderson are All Americans

1964-Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

George Spear is an All American 

Top of the Charts

1965-  Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

Jim Spillane- All American  (no picture)

1966- Coach Hank Chapman Horns finish 11th at Nationals.

Steve Boss, Gary Langendoen, Jim Spillane, Greg Thompson, Chuck Worrell are All Americans 

1967-Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

Swim team is 2nd at the SWC meet to a great SMU team. The Horns set 9 school records and Gary Langendoen set a conference record in the 100  yard butterfly.  The team place 20th out of 66 at the national meet. 

All Americans were Gary Langendoen in the 100 & 200 fly and Steve Boss, Dana Curtis, Greg Thompson and Gary Langendoen in the 800 free relay. Of note is that all of the above swims were 8th place at the NCAAs in qualifying.

                  Top of the Charts

1968-1969  Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

Finishes 2nd to SMU in the SWC championship

Dana Curtis – All American (looking for picture)



1969-1970 Coach Hank Chapman 4-2 in dual meets pending more information

For the 12th year in a row the Longhorns are 2nd to SMU. Captain Dana Curtis sets a new standard in the 500 for the SWC.  Gerry Shoemaker was a double winner at the SWC meet and 4 Longhorns participate in the NCAA meet- Curtis, Ligon, DuRapau, and Ravel.      

1970-1971 Coach Hank Chapman Pending more information

The team finishes 2nd to SMU and does not do well at the NCAA meet.  Bruce Robinson broke the SWC record in the 400 individual medley and two school marks in the 200 I.M. and 200 backstroke.  Salzhandler broke the SWC 200 breast. Steve McFarland, Robinson, and Salzhandler made the NCAA cut.  In a dual meet with SMU, the Longhorns were embarrassed.  (looking for individual pictures of swim leaders)

Frank Salzhandler-All American

AUSTIN, Tex., Sept. 24, 1970 (UPI)—Frank Salzhandler, University of Texas swimming star, will appeal to the school administration the coach’s edict that his shoulder‐length long hair must be cut by Monday or he would be ruled off of the team.

Salznandler was barred from the first swim practice last Monday because he refused to abide by the Coach’s dress code. The swimmer appealed to the athletic council, and he lost 8-1.

He said he might cut his hair by Monday but said, “At this time, I feel in my conscience that I couldn’t swim for a university athletic department that wasn’t in existence for the student-athlete.” Salzhandler has received strong support from the student newspaper.

 DAVID GREIG “SKIPPY” BROWNING JR. (JUNE 5, 1931 – MARCH 13, 1956)

Skippy was a diver from the United States and Olympic champion. He represented the US at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where he received a gold medal in springboard diving. After his Olympic victory in Helsinki, Browning shinnied up a flag pole to steal an Olympic flag and was arrested.

In January 1953 he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in business administration. In June 1955 he received his wings as a pilot in the United States Navy at Pensacola, Florida. On March 13, 1956, he was on a training flight in an AFJS Fury jet carrier fighter when the plane crashed near Rantoul, Kansas, killing Browning. At the time, he was scheduled to be reassigned to Los Angeles to begin training for the 1956 Summer Olympics.

Browning was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1975. His father was his coach and instructor.