POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The longest-tenured employee in the history of the Marist Athletics Department will retire at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year.
 
Director of Swimming Larry VanWagner has announced his retirement, effective June 1, which will be exactly 45 years from his first day at Marist. VanWagner's distinguished tenure at Marist featured tremendous growth for the College, the Athletics Department, and the Swimming & Diving programs.
 
"My family and I are so very grateful to the wonderful people who have enriched our lives, especially the young men and women who represented the institution with great pride and distinction throughout the 43-year history of Red Fox Swimming & Diving," VanWagner said. "It is with great pride to have witnessed our program's rise to dominance within the Metropolitan and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conferences over the years and to be a part of a record 36 conference championships. I will forever hold the memories of each victory dear to my heart and be grateful for your friendship and dedication to Marist College and to the sport of swimming & diving. Go Red Foxes!"
 
When VanWagner arrived at Marist in 1976, he was just a year removed from having received his M.P.E. in Athletic Administration from Springfield College. At that time, Marist competed at the Division III level, and swimming & diving operated as a club sport.
 
Growth occurred in a relatively short amount of time. The Athletics Department made the transition from Division III to Division II to Division I, which was completed in 1981. Swimming & diving attained varsity status in 1978, and operated as a co-ed sport until it was split into men's and women's teams in 1983. The Red Foxes competed in the Metropolitan Conference for swimming & diving before joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in 1996, and have been under the umbrella of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) since 1992.
 
VanWagner established a tradition of excellence. He has coached the men's team throughout his tenure at Marist, and became the women's head coach in the 2003-04 season. He coached 628 dual meets, and won 423 (.674 winning percentage). His teams won 36 conference championships, with the first coming when the men's team captured the Metropolitan Conference in 1990. That title came in Associate Head Coach/Head Diving Coach Melanie Bolstad's first year with the program, and Bolstad has coached with VanWagner for all 36 conference crowns. The 18 MAAC championships captured by the women's team are the most of any program on campus.
 
VanWagner coached 242 individual conference championships while earning 13 Coach of the Year awards. He was named a coach on the MAAC 40^th anniversary men's and women's swimming and diving teams. He has had 10 athletes named Marist Sportsperson of the Year, three qualify for the USA National Swimming Championship, and one qualify for the United States Swimming Olympic Trials, and one qualify for the Mexico Swimming Olympic Trials. Academically, VanWagner has had two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and a Fulbright Scholarship recipient.
 
During his tenure, VanWagner has also served as Director of the Marist Swim Club, and was the program's head coach for over 30 years. The club has produced six United States Swimming Junior National Champions, 11 United States Swimming Olympic Trials qualifiers, and 96 Empire State Games champions.
 
VanWagner earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Springfield, where he was a four-year member of the varsity swimming team. In 1973, he was New England Champion in both the 400- and 800-yard freestyle relays, and he was an NCAA College Division All-American.
 
"This is the announcement that I hoped I would never have to make, but after nearly a half a century Coach VanWagner has earned this day," Marist Director of Athletics Tim Murray said. "Larry has been a staple on the Marist campus, impacting the lives of countless athletes while building one of the most consistently successful swimming programs in the country over the past four decades. His impact and legacy will always be a part of the Marist Swimming program. Our Athletics program thanks Larry for his outstanding career, and wish Larry and his wife, Ginny, many blessings as they begin their retirement together."
 
Check back at GoRedFoxes.com and our social media channels for continued content on VanWagner's career leading up to his retirement date.