University of Alabama Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame
In 1975, legendary Crimson Tide head coach Don Gambril created the Alabama Swimming Hall of Fame to honor those Tide swimmers, divers and related personnel who had made outstanding contributions to the Crimson Tide program through superb performances. Tide swimming legend Jonty Skinner was the first member to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on the strength of his NCAA Championship and world record, both in the 100 freestyle. Since Skinner was inducted in 1975, the Hall of Fame has grown to 49 individual members, the 1960 men's team and the Tide's 1970 800 freestyle relay, the first All-Americans in program history.
An athlete must meet one of eight require- ments to be eligible for induction:
- AIAW or NCAA champion in an individual event
- Member of the U.S. Olympic Team
- Finalist at the Olympic Games
- Member of the U.S. World Championship Team
- Finalist at the World Championships
- Pan-American or Pan-Pacific Games individual medalist
- One male and one female athlete is chosen as Athlete of the Decade for outstanding contribution to the program.
- An individual or group that is deemed a pioneer of the program.
Jonty Skinner | 1975
First member of the Hall of Fame ... Earned the first individual NCAA championship in Alabama's swimming history ... His time of 43.92 in the 100 freestyle on March 29, 1975, in Cleveland, Ohio, set an NCAA record and U.S. Open record ... Set a world record in 1976 in the 100m freestyle ... Served as the Tide's head coach from 1991-94.
Jack Babashoff | 1976
Earned a silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle and a gold medal as part of the U.S. 400 freestyle relay at the 1976 Olympics ... Gold medalist at the 1975 Pan American games ... Four-year All-American.
Christina Jarvis | 1976
Won five AIAW titles, including the 100 and 200 breaststroke in 1976 and the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke in 1977 ... Set the U.S. Open record in 1976 in the 100 meter breaststroke ... AIAW record holder in the 200 breaststroke, 2:18.79 ... U.S. Open and AIAW record holder in the 100 breaststroke, 1:04.56.
Casey Converse | 1977
Set an NCAA record and became the first man in swimming history to break the 15-minute barrier on his way to winning the 1,650 freestyle when he went 14:57.30 on March 26, 1977 in Cleveland, Ohio ... Also held the NCAA record in the 1,000 freestyle ... Swam for the United States at the 1976 Olympics.
Vicky Stanley | 1977
1976 AIAW champion in the 50 freestyle, her winning effort set an AIAW record in that event.
Mike Curington | 1978
Won three gold medals at the 1975 Pan Am Games ... Won four gold medals at the 1977 World University Games ... four-year All- American.
Wayne Chester | 1978
First Alabama diver to win an NCAA title, taking first off the 1-meter board at the 1978 NCAA Championships ... three-year SEC champion ... two-year All-American.
Carlos Berrocal | 1979
Won the 1979 NCAA 100 backstroke title ... Earned a fourth-place finish at the 1976 Olympic Games in the 100 backstroke ... four- year All-American ... SEC champion.
Mark Tonelli | 1979
Finaled in the 200 backstroke at the 1976 Olympic Games for Australia ... Won the gold at the 1980 Olympic games as part of Australia's 400 medley relay ... Former SEC record holder in the 200 backstroke ... 200 backstroke runner- up at the 1979 NCAA Championships.
John Foster | 1980
The Crimson Tide's first coach ... From 1960 to 1973 he compiled 123-48 record in dual meet competition ...Coached Alabama's first All-Americans.
Arne Borgstrom | 1982
Won the 1982 NCAA 1,650 freestyle title ... Named the 1982 SEC Swimmer of the Year ... Named 1982 Alabama Athlete of the Year ... Earned All-America honors four consecutive years ... First man to swim the 1,650 freestyle in less than 15 minutes at the SEC Championships.
Angelika Knipping | 1983
Won the NCAA 50 breaststroke title on the way to setting a collegiate record in that event which still stands ... Won three SEC titles and earned All-America honors 13 times.
Glenn Mills | 1983
NCAA 200 breaststroke champion ... Member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team ... Member of the 1982 U.S. World Championship Team.
Don Gambril | 1984
Legendary Head Coach of the Crimson Tide ... Head Coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team in Los Angeles ... Head coach of the 1983 U.S. Pan-American squad ... Head coach of the 1991 U.S. World Championship Team ... First individual recipient of U.S. Swimming Award.
Ricardo Aldabe | 1984
Finaled in the 200-meter backstroke at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles while competing for Spain, taking seventh ... Semifinalist in the 100m backstroke at the 1984 Olympics ... Seven-time All-American ... All-SEC.
Bob Webster | 1985
Won gold medals in platform diving at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics ... Four-time SEC Diving Coach of the Year ... Coached an NCAA champion and 10 SEC champions.
Marcello Juca | 1985
Won three medals at the 1983 Pan-American Games ... Three-time All-American ... Member of the 1984 Brazilian Olympic Team.
Jens-Peter Berndt | 1987
World record holder in the 400 IM ... Finalist at the 1988 Olympic Games ... Two-time SEC champion
Ralph Wright | 1988
Swimmer of the 1960s
Three year Most Valuable Swimmer ... 1968 SEC Most Valuable Swimmer ... Five-time SEC champion, winning the 400 individual medley, 1650 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 200 backstroke and as part of the 800 freestyle relay ... Set four SEC records during his career ... Alabama school record holder in eight individual events during his career, including all four strokes and both IMs ... part of three school record setting relays ... NCAA Championships qualifier all three years of his varsity career.
Jon Olsen | 1991
Five-time Olympic medalist after earning four gold and one bronze (gold - 400 medley and freestyle relays in 1992 and 400 and 800 freestyle relays in 1996; bronze - 800 freestyle relay in 1992 ... 1996 Olympic team captain ... Five-time SEC champion ... 1991 NCAA Championship 100 freestyle runner-up ... 50, 100 and 200 freestyle Alabama school record holder ... Four-year Alabama MVP ... 1991 & 1994 U.S. World Championship team ... Goodwill Games gold medalist ... 1991 Pan- Pacific Games gold medalist ... World-record holder as part of USA's 400 medley relay ... Captain of the 1993 U.S. Pan Pacific squad ... Four-time 1993 Pan Pacific Games gold medalist - 50 and 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle and medley relays ... Inaugural member of the U.S. Resident National Team.
Mark Rourke | 1991
Finalist at the 1984 Olympics, representing Canada in the platform event ... Finalist at the 1992 Olympic Games off the 3-meter board ... Four-time SEC champion ... Became the first diver in SEC history to win all three diving events at the 1991 SEC Championships, ... Set the school and SEC record holder for the 1-meter diving event ... Runner-up at the 1991 NCAA Championships in 1-meter diving. ELLEN (MCGRATH) OWEN | 1992 Member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Diving Team ... Finaled off the platform at the 1992 Games ... 1985 SEC Champion off the 3-meter board ... Academic All-SEC in 1985 ... Two-time All- America.
Marla Brooksbank | 1992
Swimmer of the 1970s
First female Alabama swimmer to earn individual All-America honors all four years of her career ... Gold medalist at the 1979 World University Games held in Mexico ... Alabama's 1979 Most Valuable Swimmer.
Jeff Wade | 1992
Swimmer of the 1970s
Anchored the 800 freestyle relay that earned Alabama's first All-America honors at the 1970 NCAA Championships ... 1970 Academic All- America ... Three-year team MVP ... Three-year captain ... Five-time SEC champion, with three individual titles and two relay titles ... Three- time All-SEC ... Set SEC records in the 200 IM, 200 backstroke and 800 freestyle.
Greg Higginson | 1992
Swimmer of the 1980s
Total of 12 All-America honors from 1980 to 1983 ... Five-time individual SEC Champion ... Winner of the 1982 Commissioners Trophy ... Member of the 1982 SEC Championship team ... Three year All-SEC.
Kim Nicholson | 1992
Swimmer of the 1980s
Total of 23 All-America honors from 1982 to 1985 ... Seven SEC titles, four individual titles and three relay wins ... 1984 and 1985 Academic All-SEC ... Member of the 1985 SEC Championship team.
Fafael Alvarez | 1996
Competed for Spain at the 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympics ... Finaled off the Platform at the 1992 Olympics ... Dove for Spain at four World Championships - 1991, 1994, 1998 and 2001 ... 1995 Southeastern Conference Diver of the Year ... 1995 SEC 1-meter Champion ... 1995 SEC Platform Champion ... 1994 and 1995 All-American ... 1994 and 1995 All-SEC.
Brent Roberts | 1998
1998 NCAA platform champion ... Member of the 1998 U.S. World Championship Team ... 1997 and 1998 Southeastern Conference Diver of the Year ... Two SEC titles ... Eight-time first team All-American and three-time honorable mention All-American
Stacy Potter | 2000
Swimmer of the 1990s
1995 NCAA runner-up in the 100 butterfly ... 1995 SEC 100 butterfly champion ... 12-time first team All-American and 10-time honorable mention All-American ... Set the 50 and 100 freestyle school records ... Holds the 100 butterfly and backstroke school records ... SEC record setter in the 100 butterfly ... Swam on the school-record 200 and 400 freestyle relays and 200 and 400 medley relays.
Travis Myers | 2000
Swimmer of the 1990s
NCAA runner-up in the 100 breaststroke in 1994 ... 1992 SEC 100 breaststroke champion ... Earned six first team All-America honors and seven honorable mention All-America honors ... Swam on the school-record 200 freestyle and 400 medley relays
Stefan Gherghel | 2002
Won back-to-back NCAA 200 butterfly titles, making him the first Alabama swimmer to repeat as NCAA champion ... Posted the third-fastest time in the history of the 200 butterfly, behind only Pablo Morales and Melvin Stewart ... 2002 and 2003 SEC 200 butterfly champion ... Finaled at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, taking fifth place in the 200m butterfly ... Competed at the 2008 Beijing and 2000 Sydney Olympics ... 200m butterfly silver medalist at the 2004 FINA World Championships
Lane Bassham | 2004
2004 NCAA 3-meter champion ... 2004 NCAA 1-meter Runner-up ... 2004 NCAA Championship Diver of the Meet ... 2004 SEC Diver of the Year ... Member of the U.S. National Team ... Undefeated off both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards during the regular season as a senior ... 2004 SEC 1-meter champion ... 2003 and 2004 SEC 3-meter champion ... Top-3 at the SEC Championships eight times, including three SEC titles
Anne Poleska | 2004
Earned a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece ... First Crimson Tide swimmer to earn an individual Olympic medal since the 1984 Games ... Swam in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia and the 2008 Games in Beijing ... Finished runner-up in the 200 breaststroke at the 2003 NCAA Championships ... Earned five SEC breaststroke titles ... Set the SEC record in the 200 breaststroke ... Set school records in six individual events and as a member of all five relays.
Susan Bartholomew Williams | 2004
Earned a bronze medal in the triathlon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece ... First Alabama athlete to earn an Olympic medal in a sport other than the one they competed in at the Capstone ... Captain of the 1992 Alabama team.
Vlad Polyakov | 2004
2006 FINA World 200m breaststroke gold medalist ... Finaled in the 100 and 200m breaststrokes at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece ... Competed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics ... 2005 and 2007 NCAA 200 Breaststroke Champion ... Runner-up at the 2003 and 2006 NCAA Championships in the 200 breaststroke ... 2005 and 2006 SEC 100 and 200 breaststroke champion ... 2007 SEC 100 breaststroke champion ... Set the SEC 200 breaststroke record ... Set school records in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes ... 2004 FINA World Championship bronze medalist in the 100 and 200m breaststrokes ... 2007, 2006 and 2005 CoSIDA Academic All-American At-Large Team ... Four-year Coaches Association Academic All-American ... 2006 SEC Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year ... Four-year Academic All-SEC.
Arlene Semeco | 2007
2007 Pan Am Games gold medalist in the 50 and 100m freestyles ... Pan Am Record holder in the 50m freestyle ... School record setter in the 50 freestyle ... 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympian.
The 1960 Men's Swimming and Diving Team | 2009
Pioneer
In the fall of 2009, the inaugural Crimson Tide men's swimming and diving team was inducted in the Alabama Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame for their roles as pioneers of what has grown into a championship tradition. The 1959-60 team joined their coach, John Foster, who was inducted in 1980, in the Hall. Five members of the original team, Stroud Curran, Stan Walker, Durham Ellis, Bay Lott and Henry Hagler, were honored during the 2009 Alabama-Arkansas football game in front of 92,000-plus fans.
Agustina de Giovanni | 2010
Swimmer of the 2000s
Two-time Alabama MVP ... Swam on school- record 200 and 400 medley relays and 400 freestyle relay ... Ranked in Alabama's all- time top-10 in seven events - 500, 1,000 and 1,650 freestyles, 100 and 200 breaststrokes and 200 and 400 IMs ... Finaled in the 200m breaststroke at the 2007 Pan American Games ... Set an Argentine and South American record in the 200m breaststroke ... Competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Apostolis Tsagkarakis | 2010
Swimmer of the 2000s
12-time All-American, earning three first-team and nine honorable-mention honors ... Set the 50 freestyle school records, becoming the second swimmer in school history to go under 20 seconds ... Set the school record as part of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays and 200 and 400 medley relays ... Member of the CoSIDA Academic All-American At-Large First Team ... Competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics in his native Greece ... Competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Betsy Saunders | 2011
Pioneer
Member of the Crimson Tide's inaugural women's swimming and diving team ... First national championship scorer ... First All- American ... 1974 All-American in the 50 and 100 freestyles.
Aaron Fleshner | 2011
Posted a top-10 finish off the 3-meter board at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, China, as part of the United States National Team ... Competed at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China ... Earned top-10 finishes at three straight U.S. Olympic Trials ... Three-time U.S. 1-meter champion ... Four-year All-American, earning four first-team and four second-team honors ... Finished as high as third off the platform at the NCAA Championships ... 2009 Southeastern Conference Diver of the Year ... Three-time SEC Champion, winning two 3-meter and one 1-meter title ... Three-year All-SEC ... Set the school record off the 1- and 3-meter boards as well as the platform.
Kristian Gkolomeev | 2016
First three-time NCAA champion in Alabama swimming and diving history ... 2014 NCAA 50 freestyle champion ... 2015 NCAA 100 freestyle champion ... Anchor leg on Alabama's first NCAA relay title, the 2016 NCAA champion 200 Medley Relay ... 16-time All-American ... First UA swimmer under 19 seconds in the 50 freestyle ... First UA swimmer under 42 seconds in the 100 freestyle ... 2015 SEC Swimmer of the Year ... 2015 SEC Championships Swimmer of the Meet ... Four-time SEC Champion ... All- SEC ... Broke nine different school records ... SEC record holder as part of the Crimson Tide's 400 medley relay ... SEC Academic Honor Roll ... All-SEC ... Competed for Greece at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, earning a semifinals berth in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2016 Games in Rio ... Finaled in the 50m freestyle at the 2015 World Championships, taking seventh.
Pavel Romanov | 2017
Breaststroke leg on Alabama's first NCAA championship relay, the 2016 NCAA champion 200 Medley Relay ... Member of two NCAA runner-up relays, the 2015 and 2017 200 medley relays ... Three-time All-American ... Two-year CoSIDA Academic All-American ... Finished his career ranked third all-time at Alabama in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes ... Member of the school record-setting 200 medley relay.
Connor Oslin | 2017
Backstroke leg on Alabama's first NCAA championship relay, the 2016 NCAA champion 200 Medley Relay ... Member of two NCAA runner-up relays, the 2015 and 2017 200 medley relays ... 2016 NCAA runner-up in the 100 backstroke ... 13-time All-American ... Three-time Southeastern Conference 100 backstroke champion ... First swimmer to go under 45.0 in the 100 backstroke at the SEC Championships, setting the league record in the process ... Finished his career as the fifth 100 backstroker in history ... First UA swimmer under 47.0, 46.0 and 45.0 in the 100 backstroke ... First UA swimmer under 1:45.0 in the 200 backstroke ... Led off Alabama's 2015 SEC champion 400 medley relay that set an SEC record ... School-record setter in the 100 and 200 backstroke ... Member of the Tide's school- record setting 200 and 400 medley relays ... Three-year CoSIDA Academic All-American ... Two-time SEC Male Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Luke Kaliszak | 2018
First Alabama swimmer to earn the NCAA's Top 10 Award, given annually to NCAA's top- 10 senior student-athletes, regardless of sport, gender or NCAA division, based on athletic and academic achievement as well as character and leadership ... Swam the butterfly leg on Alabama's first NCAA championship relay, the 2016 NCAA champion 200 medley relay ... Member of UA's 2017 NCAA runner-up 200 medley relay ... 12-time All-American ... School record setter in the 100 butterfly and 100-meter backstroke ... Part of school record- setting 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays ... SEC 200 freestyle relay champion ... Two-year CoSIDA Academic All-American ... SEC Male Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year ... SEC Postgraduate Scholarship ... NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Randy Midkiff | 2018
Pioneer
The first Alabama swimmer to earn individual All-America recognition, earning the honor in the 100 breaststroke in 1973 ... scored Alabama's first individual points at the NCAA Championships in 1973, giving the Crimson Tide it's first top-30 finish at 28th ... set the school record in the 100 breaststroke ... earned Honorable Mention All-SEC honors in 1972.
Pat Greenwell | 2019
Finished his career as the longest tenured coach in Crimson Tide swimming and diving history at 28 years as the diving coach in 2018 ... SEC Diving Coach of the Year a league- record six times ... Coached Tide divers to eight SEC Diver of the Year honors ... Coached a pair of NCAA championships at UA, Brent Roberts (platform/1998) and Lane Bassham (3-meter/2004) ... his divers earned 69 All- America honors and won 21 SEC titles since 1988 ... 2004 NCAA Championships Coach of the Meet .. coached Bassham to NCAA Diver of the Meet honors in 2004 ... U.S. National Coach for competitions in China and Canada ... U.S. judge at the World University Games.
1970 800 Freestyle Relay | 2019
Pioneers
Leo French, Colin Herring, Jim LaMontagne & Jeff Wade combined to earn Alabama's first All- America honors at the NCAA Championships in 1970 as part of the 800 freestyle relay ... Won the 1970 SEC 800 freestyle title.
Knox Auerbach | 2019
Swam the butterfly leg on Alabama's 2019 NCAA champion 200 medley relay ... Two-time All-American ... Two-time SEC Champion ... SEC record setter (200 medley relay) ... School record setter (400 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay) ... 2019 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President.
Laurent Bams | 2019
Swam the breaststroke leg on Alabama's 2019 NCAA champion 200 medley relay ... 12-time All-American ... 2019 CoSIDA At-Large Team Academic All-American of the Year ... Two- time First Team Academic All-American ... Two-time SEC champion ... SEC record setter (200 medley relay) ... school record setter (400 medley relay).
Robert Howard | 2019
Swam the freestyle leg on Alabama's 2019 NCAA champion 200 medley relay ... 15-time All-American ... Two-time First Team Academic All-American ... 2019 SEC Commissioner's Trophy ... 2019 SEC Championships Swimmer of the Meet ... 2019 SEC Swimmer of the Year ... 2019 SEC Swimming and Diving Scholar- Athlete of the Year ... SEC Postgraduate Scholarship ... Six-time SEC Champion ... SEC record setter (200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay ... School record setter (200 free, 200 & 400 free relays and 400 medley relay) ... World University Games Gold Medalist as part of the United States 400-meter freestyle relay.
