Gerry Seaquist, 10-Time Arizona HS State Champion Coach, Dies at 85

Gerry Seaquist, who coached Xavier Prep to 10 Arizona Class 5A High School State Championships, has died. He was 85 years old.

Xavier Prep notified its employees and student body of the death on Thursday. No official obituaries have been published yet.

Seaquist is a 2004 inductee of the Arizona High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

He and his son, Jeff, served as co-head coaches for more than 20 years, rotating the official status . The teams won 20 total titles, with each coach officially getting credit for 10. Gerry’s name officially goes in the record books for the 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 196, 1997, and 1999 state titles. The team also had a pair of runner-up finishes in that period.

That puts the father and son duo in a tie for the most state titles won in girls’ swimming by any coaches in state history.

Gerry Seaquist, with his son, established the Xavier Prep dynasty, which has carried on even after both left the school: they won state titles from 2007-2011 under Colleen Murphy, another in 2012 under Brian Hoffer, and their latest in 2017 under Maureen Rankin.