Hall of Fame
In 1964, before the NCAA had divisions, the organization started a college division swimming and diving championship with its own set of qualifying standards. Pacific, along with institutions like UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State, San Diego State, East Carolina and San Jose State, competed in the college division.
In the first year for the new division, Pacific junior John Ostrum has his sights set on qualifying. In a late-season meet, he qualified in the 100 Butterfly. As head coach Conner Sutton recalls, Pacific had no budget contingency to send student-athletes to a national championship. He appealed to the president and the university funded John’s trip to Grove City, Pennsylvania for the championship, but he had to go alone – no coach. Sutton recalls arranging with the UC Santa Barbara staff to oversee John’s trip where he put Pacific on the swimming map by winning the national championship in the event. From that point on, Sutton said, there were funds to send student-athletes to nationals.
Over the five-year period, Pacific had 13 different swimmers earn All-America honors based on their finish at the national championships, and two other individual captured individual titles.
In 1965, four Tigers earned All-America honors by placing second in the 400 Medley Relay of Ostrum, Jim Hayes, Larry Hurias, Roger Bird. Hayes, Ostrum and Bird also placed in individual events and the team finished ninth in the country.
In 1966, the Tigers won two individual titles – Phil Strick in the 50 free and Jim Hayes in the 200 Breaststroke. Plus the 400 Medley Relay of Donn Livoni, Hayes, Hurias, and Strick again finished second. Livoni, Strick and Hayes placed in individual events helping Pacific to another top 10 finish in ninth place.
In 1967, Pacific finished 10th. For the first time, the Tigers scored in diving with Greg DeCristofaro finishing runner-up in the three-meter and ninth on the one-meter board. Additionally, the 400 Free Relay was eighth and the 400 Medley Relay placed ninth. Individual placers were Strick, Livoni, Joe Faull, and DeCristofaro.
In 1968, 400 Medley Relay placed tenth and Strick and DeChristofaro placed in individual events. The program placed in the top 20 again. The College Division championship was disbanded in 1972 when the NCAA adopted a three-division format.
