Three behemoths of college swimming coaching, known for their success outside of the bright spotlights of the major NCAA D1 conferences, have been inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Hall of Fame.
Jim Steen, Pete Hovland, and Rob Orr each built swimming dynasties over decades leading their programs.
Jim Steen Bio – Kenyon
Steen is responsible for the dynasty at Kenyon College in Ohio, where he coached from 1976 through 2012 and built one of the longest resumes in any sport at any level of NCAA athletics by leading his men’s and women’s teams to a combined 50 NCAA Division III championships.
He was named the CSCAA’s Division III Coach of the Year 12 times, is a 26-time winner of the ASCA Certificate of Excellence, received the National Collegiate and Scholastic Swimming Trophy in 1994, the ASCA Gold Award of Excellence in 1996, and the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
He has also built an impressive Division III coaching tree. Former Kenyon swimmers include Jon Howell at Emory, who has built a D3 dynasty of his own; Tracy Menzel at DePauw; Gregg Parini, the head coach of the school’s rivals Denison; and the current leaders of the Kenyon program head coach Jess Book and associate head coach Dani Korman.
Pete Hovland Bio – Oakland University
In 44 years with the Oakland University program, including the last 42 as head coach, the Golden Grizzlies’ men’s swimming & diving team never lost a conference championship meet. The last one was a nailbiter, an 11 point victory over IUPUI at the 2023 Horizon League Championships, but he ultimately finished his career with his perfect streak in tact.
He led his men’s team to four consecutive NCAA Division II titles from 1994 through 1997, with the streak ending when the program moved to Division I.
He was named the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year seven times in his career.
He won 31 Conference Coach of the Year, including the women’s honor from the Horizon League in 2023, his final season. His women’s team won 22 straight conference championships.
His teams were recognized as CSCAA Scholar All-America teams 46 times in his career. He is a member of both the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the Summit League Hall of Fame.
As an athlete, he was part of four NCAA team championship titles in D2 at Chico State. That included 13 individual NCAA titles.
Rob Orr Bio – Princeton University
C. Rob Orr retired as the head coach of the men’s swimming & diving team at Princeton University in 2019 after 40 years leading the program. He left with 330 dual meet victories, which is the third-most ever for a Division I men’s swimming coach. He had a winning percentage of more than 85% in those years.
His men’s team won 23 Ivy League Championships, including seven of the last ten before he retired. He coached swimmers to 60 All-America awards, two relays to NCAA D1 titles, and multiple Olympians, including 1992 Olympic gold medalist Nelson Diebel.
His most recent NCAA champion was the 1990 foursome of Mike Ross ’90, Ty Nelson ’91, Leroy Kim ’93 and Erik Osborn ’90, who set an American record in capturing the 200-yard medley relay. Ross, Nelson, Rich Korhammer ’89 and Rob Musslewhite ’92 had won the event in 1989.
A USC alum, he swam for the famous Peter Daland from 1968-1972 (who along with Doc Counsilman is one of the two coaches ahead of Orr in the all-time wins category).
After graduating, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach under Daland at USC and two more leading the Dad’s Club Swim Team in Houston.
Congratulations all three of you! Pete… you deserve it, and you impacted so many of us! Thanks, as always!
C. Rob Orr is a great man.
Congratulations Rob Orr. Great coach and great person!
Jim Steen has one impressive resume
Congratulations, Rob. Well deserved.
Coach Orr is one serious dude!
these are three GOATS. Congrats and well deserved gentleman. Proud to call you my friends