Swimming and Diving

Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving are two of the athletic teams at Old Dominion University (ODU). All home meets take place at the J.C. “Scrap” Chandler Pool inside the Student Recreation & Well-Being Center.

History

The swimming and diving program began to take shape at the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary after the hiring of Joseph C. “Scrap” Chandler as athletic director in 1942. The program really took off after WWII with Chandler as coach, a position he would hold until 1965. That year, women’s swimming became a varsity sport and Beverly Burton served as the coach until 1973. In 1974, Mary Fleet, a former star swimmer at ODU, became coach of both the men’s and women’s teams.

Coaches

Men

1940s to 1965: Joseph C. “Scrap” Chandler

1965-1974: Charles Jackson

Women

1965-1973: Beverly Burton

1973-1975: Mary Fleet

Combined Men and Women

1974-1975: Mary Fleet

1975-1977: Craig Ritz

1977-1981: Larry Shofe

1981-1983: Bill Ehrhorn

1983-1984: Peter Brown

1984-1986: David Summers

1986-1992: Joe Gentry

1992-1993: Greg Horton

1993- May 2019: Carol Withus

May 2019-Present: Jess Livsey

Resources

1. Old Dominion University Intercollegiate Athletics Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University Libraries, Norfolk, VA 23529.
2. Old Dominion University Photographic and Multimedia Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, Perry Library, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, 23529.
3. ODU Photographic Collection, Old Dominion University Libraries Digital Collections, Old Dominion University Libraries.

References

1. Old Dominion University Intercollegiate Athletics Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University Libraries, Norfolk, VA 23529.
2. Mace & Crown, Old Dominion University, 1961-1986.