University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Three Bruins Named to All-Century Team
February 16, 2016 | Swimming & Diving
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.ย โ Three Bruin greats were named to the Pac-12 All-Century Women's Swimming & Diving team on Monday evening.ย Comprised of 33 members, the All-Century Team features Debbie Meyer, Donna de Varona, and former UCLA swimmer Karen Moe.ย
Debbie Meyer broke 20 world records from 1967-70.ย She also eclipsed 24 American records and won 19 Amateur Athletic Union titles before retiring at the age of 19. ย Meyer became the first female swimmer to collect three individual gold medals at the same Olympic Games when she won the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events at Mexico City 1968.ย ย In 1968, she won the James E. Sullivan Award, the most prestigious accolade in American amateur sport, and was named Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 1969.ย Meyer was the first three-time female winner ofย Swimming World Magazine'sย prestigious World Swimmer of the Year award with wins in 1967-69. ย She is a member of the United States Olympic Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.ย ย ย
At 13, Donna de Varona became the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the Olympic Games of 1960.ย Four years later, she won two Olympic gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games (400 Individual Medley and 400 Free Relay). ย She retired shortly afterward.ย By 1965 she had broken 18 world records, collected 37 national titles, and became the first female sportscaster in the United States and the first woman to cover the Olympics for television. ย She is a member of the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.ย ย ย
Three-time All-American Karen Moe was the first woman to receive an athletic scholarship to UCLA.ย She set four world records in the 200 Fly (1970-72) and was the 1976 AIAW Champion in the event.ย Moe was a two-time Olympian, winning the gold medal in the 200 Fly in 1972 and setting an American record in the 200 Fly in 1976.ย She was also a 1976 Olympic Team captain.ย Throughout her career, Moe set nine American records and two Olympic records.ย She is a member of the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.ย Moe was also named by USA Swimming to the Olympic Team of the 20th Century for the 200 Fly.ย
To ensure that the team truly encapsulated the past century of Pac-12 women's swimming and diving, 10 Pre-Title IX nominees were included. ย These standout swimmers and divers attended Pac-12 universities but did not compete collegiately due to the lack of opportunities for women in intercollegiate athletics at the time.
Pac-12 All-Century Women's Swimming & Diving roster
Jenny Thompson, Stanford (1991-1995) โ Freestyle sprints
Cynthia "Sippy" Woodhead, USC (1984-1987) โ Freestyle sprints
Amy Van Dyken, Arizona (1991-1992) โ Freestyle sprints
Jenna Johnson, Stanford (1985-1989) โ Freestyle sprints
Janet Evans, Stanford (1989-1991) โ Freestyle distance
Debbie Meyer, UCLA โ Freestyle distance
Lindsay Benko-Mitenko, USC (1996-1999) โ Freestyle distance
Haley Anderson, USC (2010-2013) โ Freestyle distance
Natalie Coughlin, California (2001-2003) โ Backstroke, Freestyle sprints
Missy Franklin, California (2013-2015) โ Backstroke, Freestyle sprints
Lea Loveless-Mauer, Stanford (1991-1994) โ Backstroke
Melissa Belote, Arizona State (1976-1979) โ Backstroke ย
Rebecca Soni, USC (2006-2009) โ Breaststroke ย
Amanda Beard, Arizona (1999-2000) โ Breaststroke
Tara Kirk, Stanford (2000-2004) โ Breaststroke
Agnes Kovacs, Arizona State (2001-2004) โ Breaststroke
Mary T. Meagher, California (1984-1987) โ Butterfly
Dana Vollmer, California (2007-2009) โ Butterfly
Misty Hyman, Stanford (1997-2001) โ Butterfly
Karen Moe, UCLA (1973-1975) โ Butterfly
Crissy Ahmann, Arizona (1988-1991) โ Butterfly
Summer Sanders, Stanford (1990-1992) โ Individual medley, Butterfly
Katinka Hosszu, USC (2009-2012) โ Individual medley ย
Kristine Quance-Julian, USC (1994-1997) โ Individual medley, Breaststroke
Donna de Varona, UCLA โ Individual medley
Kaitlin Sandeno, USC (2002-2004) โ Individual medley
Samantha Pickens, Arizona (2011-2015) โ IM Diving
Victoria Ishimatsu, USC (2009-2012) โ IM Diving ย
Blythe Hartley, USC (2002-2006) โ 3M, IM Diving
Eileen Richetelli, Stanford (1990-1995) โ 3M Diving
Haley Ishimatsu, USC (2013-2015) โ Platform Diving
Michele Mitchell, Arizona (1979-1982) โ Platform Diving
Coach of the Century
Richard Quick, Stanford (1988-2005)
Swimmer of the Century
Natalie Coughlin, California (2001-2003)
Diver of the Century
Michele Mitchell, Arizona (1979-1982)
