A farewell reception and dinner, attended by over 250 alumni and supporters, was thrown for retiring swimming and diving head coach Jim Bain on Friday, April 4.
"Seeing all these faces together is an incredible feeling," said Bain. "It's been a great opportunity to say thanks to so many great people that have contributed to the program over the years."
Jim Bain's name is synonymous with University of Denver swimming & diving. His tenure spans 32 years as the men's head coach and 17 as the women's coach. Named NAIA Coach of the Year three times, and conference coach of the year numerous times, Bain has produced 29 individual national champions, and his teams have made 19 national championship appearances. Under his leadership, the men and women's programs have posted 20 first-place league championships, and earned over 125 All-America honors. Successful at every level he has coached from NAIA to NCAA Division II, and currently NCAA Division I, Coach Bain has presided over the Pioneer program with great integrity. He became the all-time winningest coach in University of Denver swimming and diving history in 1988 with 128 victories. He has built that total to over 300 at his retirement.
As members of NAIA from 1976-1990, Bain's teams finished as runner's up to the national crown in 1981 and 1982, and were third in four other seasons. In NCAA Division II competition (1991-1998), the Pioneers finished as high as fifth in the national meet, and earned two individual national titles in 1996. At the Division I level, he led the men's team to the 2001 Pacific Collegiate Swimming and Diving Championship title and was named the PCSC Coach of the Year.
An accomplished swimmer, Bain began his association with the University in 1963 as a student-athlete. A four-time league champion in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events, Bain qualified for the NCAA Division I championships in 1964. Prior to Denver, he swam for Los Angeles Valley Community College in 1961-62 where he was a Community College All-American.
In 1962, he became the California Junior College state champion in the 220-yard freestyle with the No. 1 time in the nation.
Prior to his appointment at Denver, Bain spent five years as a high school swimming and water polo coach at Alemany High School in Mission Hills, Calif., from 1966-71. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Denver in physical education. Bain and his wife, Tammy, have two children, Brian and Trinette, both University of Denver graduates.
Jim Bain's All-Americans and individual national champions
| Men |
| Name | Year(s) | Addition Honors |
| Neil | Anderson | 1985-86 | National champion 1985-86 (NAIA) |
| Dale | Barschak | 1983 | National champion 1983 (NAIA) |
| Robert | Bayley | 1981 |
|
| Christopher | Berger | 1984-85 |
|
| Thomas | Boese | 1980-83 |
|
| Michael | Bradac | 1992-95 |
|
| Ryan | Bradley | 1995 | National champion 1996 (Div. II) |
| Eric | Bragg | 1978 |
|
| Eric | Brushaber | 1994 |
|
| Brad | Busse | 1977-80 |
|
| Mark | Collings | 1981-82 |
|
| David | Corey | 1990 |
|
| Jesus | Crende | 1989-90 | National champion 1988 (NAIA) |
| Thomas | Dailey | 1980-81 |
|
| Francisco | D'Alessandro | 1988-90 |
|
| Jeff | Davies | 1977 |
|
| Mariano | Delle Donne | 1995 |
|
| Noel | Droomer | 1986-89 | National champion 1988-89 (NAIA) |
| Derek | Eberhardt | 1989 |
|
| Paul | Eckenroad | 1981 |
|
| Mike | Esposito | 1985-86 |
|
| Mark | Evans | 1977-80 |
|
| William | Fenner | 1978 |
|
| Edward | Fields | 1981 |
|
| Robert | Franz | 1981 |
|
| Andrew | Freeman | 1985-86 |
|
| Greg | Fritz | 1978-81 |
|
| Irwin | Futernick | 1977 |
|
| Ronald | Gamble | 1979-80 |
|
| Matt | Harveson | 1994-95 |
|
| Jon | Hayashida | 1978-79 |
|
| Barry | Hein | 1994-96 |
|
| Johan | Hendricksen | 1990 |
|
| Bill | Hildebrand | 1988 |
|
| Mark | Jankelow | 1985-87 |
|
| Goran | Jern | 1981 | National champion 1981 (NAIA) |
| Ignacio | Jimenez | 1988 |
|
| Glenn | Kennedy | 1981 |
|
| Sean | Knoph | 1988-89 |
|
| Yoram | Kochavy | 1985-87 | 1984 Olympics - National champion1985-86 (NAIA) |
| Peter | Larsen | 1979-81 |
|
| Eddie | Lary | 1995 |
|
| Ignacio | Lavin | 1985-86 |
|
| Clifton | Louis | 1977 |
|
| James | Lyle | 1977 |
|
| Steve | Martin | 1990 |
|
| Tim | Monk | 1990 |
|
| Tyler | Morgan | 1995 |
|
| Brad | Mortenson | 1979 |
|
| Rob | Nasser | 1990 |
|
| Paul | Neuvirth | 1983-84 |
|
| Dean | Panzica | 1984-85 |
|
| Chance | Passanante | 1994 |
|
| Richard | Patten | 1985-87 |
|
| Eric | Penny | 1990 |
|
| Doug | Pettibone | 1983 |
|
| Matt | Plezia | 1995 |
|
| Frederick | Plotkin | 1977-78 |
|
| William | Randall | 1982-85 |
|
| Greg | Remmert | 1983 | National champion 1984 (NAIA) |
| Mike | Richmond | 1982-83 |
|
| Mark | Rients | 1978 |
|
| David | Shaw | 1984-85 |
|
| Todd | Stanford | 1986-87 |
|
| Paul | Stanford | 1979-80 | National champion 1982 (NAIA) |
| Kevin | Steen | 1983-85 |
|
| Alan | Steenbeeke | 1981, 1983-84 |
|
| Brian | Thompson | 1989 | National champion 1990 (NAIA) |
| Keith | Thompson | 1989 |
|
| Thomas | Ulrich | 1980-83 | National champion 1982 (NAIA) |
| Alan | Voisard | 1981 |
|
| Warren | Wild | 1983, 1985 |
|
|
| Women |
| Name | Year(s) | Addition Honors |
|
| Kori | Cooper | 1980 |
|
| Carol | Doyas | 1980 | National champion 1980-81 (AIAW) |
