Swimming World Mourns Loss of Key Members
The swimming community has an annual event to remember those swimmers lost in the past year, as the swimming world also welcomes new swimmers to the sport. This year, the community is mourning the loss of several key members whose contributions to the sport will never be forgotten.
Dick Guyer, a long-time coach at York Suburban High School in central Pennsylvania, passed away at the age of 77. Guyer had an illustrious 52-season career with York Suburban, including 44 seasons as the head coach. He battled leukemia, but still managed to return to coaching in 2018 for a three-year run before his passing in October.
Ken Nakasone, who competed as part of the Indiana swimming and diving program, died at the age of 82. He earned All-America distinction in his final three seasons swimming at IU, with his notable achievements including swimming the breaststroke leg of IU’s third-place 400-yard medley relay in 1962.
Marcus Papanikolaou, a high school senior at Central Bucks East in Pennsylvania, whose life was taken in a tragic car accident. Papanikolaou had committed to Penn State, and his untimely death at 17 was a great loss to the swimming community.
The Australian swimming community is mourning the loss of coaching pioneer Ursula Carlile, who peacefully passed away at the age of 86. Ursula and her late husband Forbes Carlile are iconic figures in Australian swimming, and their names will always be remembered in the country’s sporting landscape.
John Devitt, a two-time Olympic and three-time Commonwealth Games freestyle gold medalist, passed away at the age of 86. He was nicknamed “Gentleman John” and left behind a significant legacy not only in sports but also in family life, being survived by his wife Wendy and four children, Carmel, Mark, Julie, and Sean.
Bruce R. Johnson, a swim coach, writer, and author in New Jersey, died at the age of 77. Johnson dedicated almost 50 years of his life to his passion for swimming and left behind a lasting impact on the sport in his community.
Mary Moorman Ryan Caldwell, a U.S. record holder and Olympic hopeful in the 1940s, passed away at the age of 98. She won numerous national championships and was recognized for her remarkable swimming abilities.
Dave Allen, who founded the UNC Wilmington swimming and diving program, passed away at 75. Known as the patriarch of UNCW swimming, his contributions to the sport have been honored with the naming of the David B. Allen Natatorium at the university.
Former Minnesota national champion swimmer Virgil Luken died at the age of 80. He achieved great success during his athletic career and was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2004.
Kathy McKee, a long-time member of the SwimMAC coaching staff, died at the age of 69. Her impact on the sport was notable, and her passing was a great loss to the swimming community.
Dr. Geoff Mykleby, known for his contributions to open water swimming, passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 70. His accomplishments will forever be remembered by those who knew him.
Legendary swim coach Frank Keefe, who led Yale for more than 30 years, died at the age of 85. He coached several successful Olympians during his long tenure in the sport.
Judson Crawford, who was an Olympic Games gold medalist and a standout at Ohio State University, died at the age of 51. He achieved numerous accomplishments during his swimming career, making his passing a significant loss to the sport.
Robert Trotman, who dedicated six decades to coaching swimming and extending swimming opportunities to communities, passed away at the age of 82. He founded the Nu-Finmen Swim Team and left behind an impactful legacy on the sport.
Pat Keller McCormick, the first diver inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, died at the age of 92. Her achievements and accomplishments as a competitive diver are still recognized to this day.
Jamie Cail, a former U.S. national teamer and gold medalist at the Pan Pacific Championships, passed away in the U.S. Virgin Islands at the age of 42. Her contributions as an athlete were significant and had a lasting impact on the sport.
Viktor Ageev, a three-time Olympic water polo medalist for the Soviet Union, died at the age of 86. His career in water polo was distinguished, and he will forever be remembered for his contributions to the sport.
Nick Rodionoff, the former women’s swimming and diving head coach at Pepperdine, who worked at the school for four decades, died at the age of 87. His influence on the swimming and diving program will never be forgotten.
