COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO -- The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America unveiled the inaugural class of the CSCAA Division III Hall of Fame. This distinguished recognition aims to honor the exceptional contributions of swimmers, divers, and coaches within the NCAA Division III realm. The inaugural induction ceremony is set to take place at the CSCAA Annual Awards Celebration on May 6, 2024, hosted at the illustrious Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis.
Founded in 1922, the 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.
In the fall of 2021, as a part of the CSCAA Centennial Celebration, the association named its list of 100 Greatest College Swimming & Diving Coaches and 100 Greatest Female and Male Swimmers and Divers of the past 100 years. A blue ribbon committee of fifty eight voters selected the finalists, each focusing on a particular sport (swimming or diving) and Division.
Former Eph head men's and women's swimming coach Carl Samuelson was named to the list of 100 best coaches and is among the first group of DIII coaches inducted into the CSCAA Division III Hall of Fame.
The inaugural Swimmers and Divers Class of the CSCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame includes four Eph female swimmers all of whom were named to the list of 100 best swimmers: Liz Jex '83, Lindsay Payne '06, Logan Todhunter '12 and Caroline Wilson '13. "The induction of Logan, Lindsay, Elizabeth, Carl and Caroline into the 2024 CSCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame is a testament to their outstanding talent, dedication, and contributions to the sport," stated Samantha Barany, Executive Director of the CSCAA. "We are thrilled to honor their legacy and celebrate their achievements as part of the inaugural class of the Hall of Fame."
Carl Samuelson
Career:
1966-1998 Williams College Head Coach Men
1975-1998 Williams College Head Coach Women
While much of the history of women's Division III is intertwined with Kenyon College, it was actually Carl Samuelson's Ephs that won the first two NCAA Division III Women's Championships. The two championships also netted the longtime coach his first two of three CSCAA Coach-of-the-Year Honors. Over more than thirty years at Williams, Samuelson's swimmers achieved All-America status 340 times, captured 39 individual and 23 relay NCAA titles, multiple NCAA records and earned him a spot on the CSCAA 100 List of Greatest Coaches. His teams won the New England Championships a combined 27 times. In addition, he hosted the NCAA Division III Championships in 1990 and 1993.
Liz Jex '83 was the first superstar of Division III women's swimming. The sprinter and natural leader swept the 50 and 100 freestyles in each of her four years and totaled twelve individual NCAA titles. She set overall Division III records four times. Her efforts culminated in a pair of CSCAA Swimmer-of-the-Year honors and Williams' first two NCAA team titles.
National Titles: AIAW 1980: 50 Free 24.72 record, 100 Free 52.80 record, 100 IM 1:00.68 record / AIAW 1981: 50 Free 24.78, 100 Free 53.47, 100 IM 1:00.89 / NCAA 1982: 50 Free 24.76, 100 Free 53.85, 200 Free 1:57.39, 100 Fly 1:00.67 / NCAA 1983: 50 Free 24.44 record, 100 Free 52.98.
Other: 1982 & 1983 Division III Co-Swimmer of the Year. 4x Champion 50 Free, 4x Champion 100 Free. In the inaugural 1982 NCAA Division III Championships she set records in winning each of her four events.
Lindsay Payne '06 took breaststroke in Division III to a new level. She captured seven individual event titles for the Ephs and repeatedly shattered Division III marks in both breaststroke events. All told, the Olympic Trials finalist cut more than two full seconds in the 100 breaststroke and four full seconds in the 200 breaststroke from the Division III records.
National Titles: 2002: 100 Breast 1:04.46 / 2003: 100 Breast 1:04.30 / 2005: 100 Breast 1:02.88 record, 200 Breast 2:16.45 record / 2006: 100 Breast 1:01.41 record, 200 Breast 2:14.20 record, 200 IM 2:03.14 record.
Other: 2005 & 2006 Division III Swimmer of the Year / 4x Champion 100 Breast / Set Division III Open Records of 1:00.54 and 2:12.83 in the Breaststroke events / 2006 recipient of the 18th annual Honda Inspiration Award.
Logan Todhunter '12 over her tenure, captured individual NCAA Division III titles in eleven of twelve opportunities, leading her team to an NCAA runner-up finish in her senior year. Along the way she established five Division III records and was unbeaten in the 100 and 200 butterfly against Division III competition. She was named CSCAA Swimmer-of-the-Year in both 2010 and 2012.
National Titles: 2009: 100 Fly 53.54 record, 200 Fly 1:57.80 record / 2010: 100 Fly 53.56, 200 Fly 1:57.46, 200 IM 2:02.57 / 2011: 100 Fly 53.57, 200 Fly 1:57.61 record, 200 IM 2:01.71 / 2012: 100 Fly 53.04 record, 200 Fly 1:55.66 record, 200 IM 2:00.58.
Other: 2010 & 2012 Division III Swimmer of the Year / 4x Champion 100 Fly, 4x Champion 200 Fly, 3x Champion 200 IM / First Division III swimmer to break 54.00, 53.00 and 2:00.00 in the Butterfly events with record times of 52.84 and 1:55.66.
Caroline Wilson '13 was a multi-event threat, capturing individual NCAA Division III titles in eleven of twelve opportunities, setting Division III records in four different events. The 2013 CSCAA Division III Swimmer-of-the-Year captured the 400 individual medley each of her four years and could have matched the feat in the 1650 freestyle but instead opted to compete in (and win) back-to-back events in the 500 freestyle and 200 individual medley.
National Titles: 2010: 500 Free 4:45.47 record, 1650 Free 16:25.21 record, 400 IM 4:17.85 2011: 1650 Free 16:31.46, 400 IM 4:13.90 record / 2012: 500 Free 4:45.45, 1650 Free 16:40.42, 400 IM 4:13.14 record / 2013: 500 Free 4:47.16, 200 IM 1:59.43 record, 400 IM 4:14.27.
Other: 2013 Division III Swimmer of the Year / 3x Champion 500 Free and 1650 Free, 4x Champion 400 IM / First Division III swimmer to break 2:00.00 in the 200 IM with a 1:59.43 and also set the Division III record in the 400 IM at 4:13.14.
