POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Swimming and Diving Head Coach Larry VanWagner earned the 40 year Distinguished Service Award from College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). He was awarded this honor alongside head coaches from Georgia, SMU and UNC.
 
As the longest tenured coach at Marist, VanWagner has turned the Marist swimming and diving program into a MAAC powerhouse. In his 42 years of coaching at Marist, Van Wagner has lead the men's squad to 14 conference championships. The women's team has won 22 conference championships including 18 MAAC, two Metro and two ECAC. He has been named the MAAC coach of the year eight times and ECAC Coach of the Meet three times.
 
Marist swimmers have shown success on a national level under VanWagner's guidance. Alumni Manuel Garcia swam the 100-meter butterfly in the 2016 Olympic trials for Mexico while alumni Greta Leberfinger was the 100-meter breaststroke in the 2012 Olympic trials for the United States.
 
The men's team is coming off one of the best seasons in history. The team broke seven school records at MAAC championships and placed third at ECAC Championships, the highest finish ever in school history.

Founded in 1922, the CSCAA is the oldest organization of college coaches in America.