Dan Ross to Retire as Purdue Men’s Swimming Head Coach

Dan Ross to Retire as Purdue Males’s Swimming Head Coach

Dan Ross He has introduced his intention to retire as a males’s swimming and diving coach at Purdue, the college introduced on Tuesday.

Ross spent 42 years at West Lafayette, the second longest-serving coach at school historical past. He has been head coach since 1985-86, a interval of 38 years. He labored as an assistant coach for 4 years on the college he graduated from in 1977.

“It has been the privilege of my life to educate this staff,” Ross stated. in a university statement. “I’ve cherished each swimmer I’ve had the dignity of teaching at Purdue, from Lambert Pool or the unique outside pool at CoRec to the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Middle, which has been an unimaginable facility over the previous 20 years. I stated, ‘I am by no means going to go.’ It was a troublesome determination, however my household helped me affirm what I do know in my coronary heart: the time has come. Purdue Swimming & Diving is in nice fingers because of the individuals who made my final season on this system so particular.”

Ross, who will flip 64 in June, will coach the Boilermakers on the NCAAs and CSCAA Nationwide Invitational Championships this month. He’ll formally retire on the finish of June.

The elder statesman of Huge Ten teaching, Ross was named the Prime Ten Coach of the Yr in 1988, 1997, and 2009. He helped design the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Middle, Purdue’s new residence. The Boilermakers have scored within the NCAAs in every of the final 26 seasons and have completed within the high 25 in 14 of the final 17 seasons. This contains 13 NCAA diving nationwide champions, 34 particular person Huge Ten titles, and 52 All-People beneath his watch. Purdue’s males have gained at the very least one Huge Ten championship annually between 2015-21 and have gained a number of Huge Tens titles 9 occasions.

As a part of the USA teaching staff on the 2007 World College Video games, he additionally mentored athletes who participated within the Olympics, World Championships, Pan American Video games, Pan Pacific Video games, Southeast Asian Video games and Maccabi Video games.

“Dan Ross and Purdue Swimming and Diving have turn out to be nearly synonymous over the previous 40 years,” he stated. Mike Bobinski, Purdue Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “Dan has devoted his life’s work to Purdue College and has used his platform to positively impression the lives of numerous student-athletes, coaches, and employees, first as assistant coach after which all through an impressive 38-year position as head coach. Dan’s connections with our former swimmers are a testomony to his character and the affect they’ve had on their success in Purdue and past. Purdue Athletics is eternally grateful to Dan for his unwavering dedication to excellence in each side of the student-athlete expertise, and we look ahead to honoring his legacy for years to come back, based mostly on his imaginative and prescient. Dan is the epitome of a Purdue Boilermaker, and we ship him and his household our greatest needs as he walks away to start the subsequent well-deserved chapter.

Solely male tennis coach at Purdue Larry LeBree (1925-64) served longer on a staff. Ross was the fifth longest-serving swimming and diving coach in Division I within the 2022-23 season.

Ross was awarded the CSCAA’s Richard E. Steadman Award in 2021, awarded to individuals who radiate happiness in sports activities. That 12 months, three alumni established the Daniel P. Ross Swimming and Diving Scholarship Basis for swimmers on the college.

“It is an incredible pleasure and pleasure for Dan as he strikes to the subsequent section of his life, nevertheless it’s additionally an incredible unhappiness to think about Purdue Swimming and Diving with out our basis of loyalty and endurance,” stated the dive head coach. Adam Soldati aforementioned. “Dan Ross has been a colleague, a mentor, a frontrunner, however most significantly, a faithful brother and expensive buddy for the previous 18 years. I used to be very lucky to begin my profession right here as a younger, boastful dive coach who would work with and kindly information a person like Dan Ross. Without end grateful for one of many biggest Boilermakers ever!

Purdue assistant coach stated, “Dan made a particular impression on everybody who shared the pool deck with him – displaying that this sport, and due to this fact life, is about loving the folks you are with.” Alex Jerden aforementioned. “Within the few years I have been right here, it has been inspiring to witness Dan’s dedication and enthusiasm for this program and the way he has stored his household on the middle of his world. Many college students have proven athletes and their fellow coaches how one can enhance your self, your college, and your sport. He did it in a method that solely Dan Ross may do! He is an excellent mentor, a lifetime Boilermaker, and it has been a privilege to work with somebody I and others will miss dearly.”