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COLLEGE NAMES POOL AFTER COACHING LEGEND LONGNECKER |
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December 04, 2009
GROVE CITY, Pa. – Grove City College will recognize James Longnecker, one of the College’s winningest coaches, with the renaming of the competition swimming pool at a dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Physical Learning Center on campus.
The pool will be renamed the “James E. Longnecker Competition Pool” during the annual Grove City College men’s and women’s swimming and diving invitational named after the longtime coach.
A “player’s coach” long before the term became part of the sports vernacular, Longnecker concluded his 40-year coaching career in 1997. During his career, he built the swimming and diving program into a national power and accumulated a three-sport collegiate record of 687 wins, 177 losses and one tie – a .795 winning percentage.
Longnecker is best remembered for his 40-year record as head coach of the men’s swimming and diving team. With a 366-93 (.797) record at retirement, he stood as the winningest active swim coach in NCAA Division III and among the top five in all NCAA classifications. In 1977, he was named “Master Coach” by the American College Coaches Association, and in 1987, he received the organization’s “Distinguished Coach” award. He coached 44 NCAA All-Americans and three national diving champions. He guided Grove City to six undefeated seasons, and proposed, organized and hosted the inaugural NCAA College Division Swimming and Diving Championships in 1964.
This three-sport mentor also directed the men’s track and field teams for 40 years, accumulating a career record of 224-53-1 (.808). Grove City posted 13 undefeated seasons during Longnecker’s career. His teams captured seven Presidents’ Athletic Conference track titles after Grove City joined the league in 1984.
In 12 seasons as cross country coach, 1960-1971, Longnecker’s runners posted five WPIAC titles, won one Penn-Ohio Conference championship and advanced to nationals twice. His teams amassed a 97-31 (.758) record, including one undefeated season.
Earlier this fall, the baseball field was named after R. Jack Behringer, who served as Grove City College’s athletic director and chairman of the Department of Physical Education for 40 years. Under his strong leadership, both the varsity, intramural and academic programming grew in numbers and popularity.
In 2007, both Behringer and Longnecker were inducted with the inaugural class of the Grove City College Athletic Hall of Fame.
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