Swimming and Diving (Men's and Women's)

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Swimming & Diving

The year was 1921 when GW added a swimming team to its other athletic activities. It was reported that the birth of the new sport was largely due to the efforts of Manager Harris Young and other members of the team. The swimming team began intercollegiate competition in 1926, using D.C.'s Central High School as a practice facility.

In 1921 a women's team was added under the direction of Ada Moody, both manager and coach. Bee Wooford, team captain, was especially noted for her "swans." She was a good athlete in both swimming and diving. The first varsity team was formed in 1928.

Elected in 1981, Max Rote ('36) was the first swimmer elected to the GW Hall of Fame. When Rote competed in the 1930s, the Colonials used the Ambassador Hotel pool for their swim meets. The Ambassador was destroyed in a fire in 1980. Also in the 1930s the "Fins" were organized and 50 women turned out for two meetings a week at the YWCA pool. Swimming and Diving continued after the 1930s with some interruptions.

With the opening of the Smith Center pool in 1974, the swimming and diving teams were restored after being discontinued for several years. In 1994 the Colonial men toppled 12 school records and the women broke 15 en route to 10-3 and 11-2 records, respectively, in dual meet competition. All but 10 of 46 (23 men's plus 23 women's) GW records have been broken since 1990. The women have established new school bests in all 23 events, while the men have bettered 20 (of 23) during the same period. The teams ended the 1995 season with a 9-3 record for the Men's team and 8-4 for the Women's team. Both teams demonstrate a successful balance between athletics and academics.

Bob Hassett became head coach of the GW men's and women's swimming teams in 1985. He served as an assistant swimming coach at GW from 1981 to 1985.

Head Coach Dan Rhinehart is in his tenth year at the helm of the GW men's and women's swimming program.

During the past nine seasons, the Colonials have rewritten the university's record book by establishing 39 school records and 14 Atlantic 10 records. In addition to these record-breaking performances, GW swimmers have also found success in the classroom as both squads were recognized by the CSCAA in having among the top team GPAs across the country. In August of 2007, it was announced that both the men's and women's programs posted team GPAs that ranked among the Top 25 in the nation.

Last season, the College Swim Coaches Association of America announced that the George Washington University women's program posted the nation's sixth-highest combined grade point average and the men's team posted the seventh-highest for Division I teams during the 2005 spring semester. The women's program accumulated a 3.51 GPA for the semester and the men's team accumulated a 3.20 GPA.

Prior to his position as head coach, Rhinehart was the assistant coach for the Colonials for three seasons. Rhinehart has been involved with swimming and coaching since 1976, working with a wide variety of athletes including Olympic and world-ranked swimmers. He came to the Washington area from San Diego where he was the head swim coach at Mt. Carmel High School for five years. Under his direction, several of his swimmers qualified for high school All-America status and his boys team was ranked nationally in 1993.While in San Diego, Rhinehart also served as the founder, head coach and President of the PQ Aquatics Corporation, a United States Swim program, from 1991-95.

For additional information see: (From the website (2007): [1]

Document Information

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Author or Source: Cherry Tree; GW Sports Media Guides; Sports Information Office, Hatchet, Feb. 9, 1928
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: December 21, 2006
Prepared by: G. David Anderson, University Archivist and Historian

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