South Florida Bulls swimming and diving

The South Florida Bulls swimming and diving program represented the University of South Florida in the sport of swimming. The program consisted of separate men's and women's teams which competed in NCAA Division I at the time of the program being discontinued in 1987.

South Florida Bulls swimming and diving
Founded1965 (men); 1972 (women)
UniversityUniversity of South Florida
LocationTampa, FL
NicknameBulls
ColorsGreen and Gold[1]
         
Women's NCAA Champions
1985
Men's NCAA Runner up
1971
Folded: 1987

The 1984–85 women's swimming team is the only team in South Florida Bulls history to win an NCAA National Championship. The men's and women's teams also combined for 14 individual and relay national championships in their history.

Men

The USF men's swimming team was founded in 1965 as one of the first teams to be sponsored by the young university. In the team's first NCAA Championship appearance in 1969, Joe Lewkowicz won the first individual national championship in school history in the 200-yard butterfly event.[2] Two years later, the team would place second in the NCAA College Division. Members of the team would go on to win six individual national championships and one relay national championship.[3]

Women

The women's swimming team, known as the Lady Brahmans at the time, was founded in 1972 after the passing of Title IX.

1984–85 National Championship

The 1984–85 South Florida Lady Brahmans team won the NCAA Division II National Championship, which was the first, and as of 2020, only NCAA National Championship in school history in any sport.[4]

Every member of the team along with head coach Bill Mann and assistant coach Lou Manganiello was inducted into the University of South Florida Athletic Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 2009.[5]

Roster
  • Nancy Bercaw
  • Suzanne Crenshaw
  • Susan Duncan
  • Merit Greaves
  • Tracey Hayes
  • Dawn Hewitt
  • Alicia McHugh
  • Margaret Mortell
  • Julie Muller
  • Joni Troupe

[6]

USF Athletic Hall of Fame
Main article: University of South Florida Athletic Hall of Fame

14 men's and women's swimming coaches and athletes that were part of the USF swimming teams have since been inducted into the University of South Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. They include head coach Bill Mann, assistant coach Lou Manganiello, the 10 members of the 1984–85 women's swimming team, Joe Lewkowicz, and men's head coach Robert Grindey.[7]

Folding

Both the men's and women's swimming teams were disbanded after the 1986–87 season due to financial difficulties along with the sport not being sponsored by the Sun Belt Conference.[8]

See also

University of South Florida

South Florida Bulls

References
  1. USF Color Palettes | University Communications. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  2. "Joe Lewkowicz (2010) – USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  3. "Robert Grindey (2011) – USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  4. "(NCAA Div. II Champions) 1984–85 Swimming Team (2009) – USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  5. "USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  6. "Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductee: 1984–85 Swimming Team". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  7. "USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  8. "Fact Book". digital.lib.usf.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
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