As a part of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America's (CSCAA) Centennial Celebration, the association has named its list of 100 Greatest College Swimming & Diving Coaches of the past 100 years. The announcement came on December 7, and earning this distinguished honor are recently retired women's swimming & diving coach Paula Miller and current director of intercollegiate athletics Susan Bassett '79.
Miller completed her 36th and final year as head coach of the Bombers' women's swimming & diving program in the 2019-20 season. Miller guided the Bombers to 12 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division III Championship, 29 NYSWCAA/UNYSCSA titles and 30 conference championships (17 Empire 8).
"Words cannot express the gratitude and surprise of being on this esteemed list of great coaches, many of whom I admire and respect," said Miller. "It is truly my greatest honor, and I am forever grateful and blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many outstanding coaches, support staff and athletes who made this possible. Through these relationships I have had the benefit of establishing many close friendships, which to me are priceless and will last a lifetime. This sport has impacted me on so many different levels, and I will cherish the time that I devoted to it."
She was a two-time NCAA Division III Coach of the Year, winning that award in 1987 and 1999. Over her 36 years at the helm, Miller oversaw 11 undefeated dual seasons, including a string of four straight years (2010-14 – 48 meets) without a loss.
Miller coached 78 student-athletes to 496 All-America honors and nine members from her teams are in the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame. Her overall record in 36 season was 334-61-3. In 2014, Miller was inducted into Ithaca Athletic Hall of Fame.
Bassett, who is an Ithaca Athletic Hall of Famer – Class of 2005, began her career as a collegiate coach before transitioning into administrative roles. Bassett served as the head men's and women's swimming & diving coach at Union College for eight seasons (1987-95), guiding Union to a combined 111-35 dual meet record (63-10 for the women), three New York State titles, and a combined five top-10 finishes at the NCAA Div. III Championships. The 1993 CSCAA Co-Coach of the Year and 2006 Union Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, her student-athletes earned more than 100 All-America honors and two national championships during her eight years at the College.
"It is an incredible honor to be included in a list of the legends of the coaching ranks of collegiate swimming and diving," Bassett said. "This is most unexpected and truly appreciated. Contemplating the 100 individuals honored with this CSCAA distinction, I am so fortunate to have learned so much from so many of these great professionals. Attending CSCAA Conventions afforded me the opportunity to hear them generously share their expertise on training and technique. Serving on the NCAA Swimming and Diving committee provided the chance to work with exceptional colleagues from Divisions I, II and III. Learning from, working with, observing these brilliant coaches propelled me to grow and improve. I am beholden to them for my wonderful coaching journey. I am grateful for the education I received from Ithaca College which provided the foundation for my career. I am thankful as well to Union College and William Smith College for the privilege of coaching their swimming and diving teams."
Bassett began her coaching career at William Smith College from 1980-87, where she coached 22 All-Americans. She would be inducted into William Smith's Hall of Honor in 2012.
"It is icing on the cake to share this honor with Paula Miller who has been a mentor, competitor, colleague, and friend. Ithaca College swimming and diving has broad reach, and this recognition says as much about that as it does about us. Congratulations to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America for your 100 years of excellent leadership in the sport we all hold so dear," concluded Bassett.
Just over 500 coaches were nominated. A blue-ribbon committee of 58 voters selected from 263 finalists, each focusing on a particular sport (swimming or diving) and Division. A steering committee consisting of Anne Goodman James, Peter Hovland, Bob Groseth, and Jon Lederhouse then vetted and finalized the selections.
The list includes well-known names like James "Doc" Counsilman and Eddie Reese, but also some lesser-known names like Clarion's Becky Rutt (with six AIAW titles) and Fletcher Guilders who led Ohio University for a quarter-century before becoming one of the pre-eminent diving coaches in Division III.
What ties them together, is a record of exceptional success vis-à-vis their peers. Collectively the coaches account for 346 NCAA and NAIA team titles plus an additional 260 individual diving titles. "The voters and committee really deserve a lot of credit for making performance the key criterion" explained CSCAA Executive Director Greg Earhart, adding, "they ensured that each of the three NCAA divisions and the NAIA were represented, yet made sure that a coach's selection was not simply a product of their longevity or service to the sport."
The CSCAA's 100th birthday celebration will continue with upcoming announcements recognizing Centennial MVP's for each team along with a listing of 100 Alumni of Impact. The anniversary will culminate with the Association's convention and awards banquet, May 2-4, 2022 in Rosemont, Illinois.
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), is the nation's first organization of college coaches. The mission of the CSCAA is to advance the sport of swimming and diving with coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development.
