U.S. Olympic swimmer and former Air Force head swim coach Casey Converse has died. He was 66-years old.
Converse swam collegiately at the University of Alabama where he set a pair of NCAA Records in the 1650 yard free and became the first man to break the 15-minute barrier in that event. At the 1977 NCAA Championships in Cleveland, he won in 14:57.30.
In a dual meet he also shattered the American Record in the 1000 yard free.
Converse swam at the 1976 Olympic Games when he was only 18-years old, finishing 9th in the 400-meter freestyle.
After college, he went on to a long coaching career, most famously at the United States Air Force Academy. He coached there from 1988-2017, leading the men’s and women’s teams from 1988-1996 and focusing on just the women’s team starting in 1997 as the school moved from D2 to D1 athletics.
In 2021, Converse was named as one of the 100 greatest collegiate coaches for the Collegiate Swimming & Diving Coaches’ Association (CSCAA) 100-year anniversary.
The winningest coach in Air Force history with a career record of 326-217 in 29 seasons leading the programs, including 5 women’s conference championships. He was the first non-military swim coach in the academy’s history and was inducted into the Air Force Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.
In 2016, Converse wrote a book called Munich to Montreal: Women’s Olympic Swimming in a Tarnished Golden Era that told the story of the East German state-sponsored doping era at the 1976 Olympic Games, for which he had a front-row seat.
Converse had a long battle with cancer. Details about any services have not yet been released.
Casey’s daughter Rosie wrote a tribute to him on Facebook on Friday.
I was head coach at Witchita Swim Club in the early to mid 80’s when Casey was coaching in Topeka, his home town for a short stint. We became friends and lost touch over the years. I decided to look him up just the other day and saw he had passed. I as well last year fought stage 3 esophageal cancer and the good Lord saw fit to save me. Casey was a great coach and a great man that will be sorely missed by all that had the pleasure of knowing him. God bless to his family and friends and know he’s always in our hearts. See ya on the other side Casey……..Mark Hartung
Surprised and saddened by this. Casey was a great coach, a wonderful man, and loved his family. I will miss him.
Wishing much peace and healing to the Converse family. Casey was always great on the deck and with the athletes, and saddened to hear the news.
We all should strive for a tribute like Rosie wrote, especially from our kids. Casey was one of my heroes on a team full of heroes. It was great to see him swim and coach. We need more like him.
Great guy. RIP
Here is a toast…
Kacey was kind, insightful, and always had the time to talk. A truly great person and coach.
I had the privilege of swimming with him in masters practice at the Air Force Academy …. thank goodness he was not in his sub 15 minute shape!!!! A true gentleman and always fun to be around and train with.