A Pair Of Former Truman Swimming Coaches Among 100 Greatest

Former Truman Swim Coaches Seth Huston and Colleen Murphy were recognized by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) as two of the 100 Greatest College Swimming and Diving Coaches of the past 100 years, as part of the association’s Centennial Celebration.

Huston guided the Bulldog programs for eight seasons (1994-02) and led the women’s team to the first two of six straight NCAA Division II national titles. The rise began with the 1998 team that placed fourth at nationals and each season climbed up the final standings culminating in the first team national championship in school history in 2001. Huston would lead the Bulldog women to the 2002 title then took a Division I job at Rice (Texas) University, where he is in his 19th season leading the Owls.

Murphy served as Huston’s assistant then took over the reins of the program in 2003. Murphy kept the momentum going as the Bulldogs won the next three Division II titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005. She was the first female swimming coach to win a national championship and one of a handful to win one as both a swimmer from Oakland (Mich.) University and as a head coach. She would leave to be closer to family and headed to Arizona to coach club swimmers. Murphy returned to collegiate coaching in 2012 and is in her fifth season as head coach of the women’s program at the United States Air Force Academy.