2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

MARK SCHUBERT

HEAD COACH •14TH YEAR

Mark Schubert, who is in his 14th year as head Jensen all won medals at the coach of the USC men’s team and 2003 World Championships 13th in charge of the women’s team, has led a (Schubert was an assistant program at Troy that mirrors his own career as a coach for the U.S. team) in coach. Both are unparalleled. what was a preview of the Each feature a storied resume of NCAA 2004 Games. accolades, a distinguished history of Olympic Jensen and success and a blossoming international shared the spotlight with relationship that complements it all. Sandeno at the 2003 Here are the basics. U.S. Summer Nationals, Schubert has won three NCAA team titles and dominating much of the his squads have won 49 NCAA individual titles. event with a combined eight USC’s men’s and women’s swimming and titles. teams have won a combined 10 team titles and NCAA titles by Mellouli 146 NCAA (and AIAW) individual titles. (400y IM) and Jensen (1650y In August of 2004, in Athens, , free) highlighted USC’s Schubert had his third stint as a men’s efforts at the 2005 Swimming head coach and his seventh NCAA Championships. consecutive assignment as an Olympic coach. Seven Trojans won All- Also in Athens, USC swimmers and divers American honors last year, the top seven nine times, including its first-ever continued their own Olympic success, winning including Flaskay, who barely missed an NCAA national championship in 1997. a combined 13 medals, including four golds. title with a second in the 100y breast. Hartley Also in that span, his women’s squads have Among Troy’s aquatic accomplishments is won an NCAA title on 3-meter springboard to produced 17 NCAA individual titles, one relay accounting for almost half of the USC Athletic highlight USC’s women’s efforts, which included title, 28 Pac-10 individual titles and one relay Department’s Olympic medal count, which totals an All-American performance from Marisa title. His men’s teams have won nine NCAA more than 200. Kozak and an All-American showing in the 800y individual titles, one NCAA relay title, 32 Pac- And more and more, both Schubert and free relay. 10 individual titles and five Pac-10 relay titles. USC are enjoying their success thanks to teams Though USC finished out of the running at Additionally, the men’s and women’s swimming with rosters that read like a United Nations’ roll the NCAA Championships in 2004, Troy still had programs are a combined 137-54 in dual-meet call. In the past four seasons alone, USC has some amazing results. Sandeno won two NCAA competition under Schubert. had swimmers from Sweden, Great Britain, , titles and took second in a third while Kalyn Keller Schubert is also the director of the highly Guatemala, , , , Tunisia, won her first NCAA title (the two also combined successful Trojan Swim Club, which won the Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica. to win four Pac-10 titles). The men’s team was 1999 U.S. Summer Nationals women’s and All three areas have converged the last three highlighted a pair of second-place finishes by combined team championships and the 2003 years, shining in national and international. Mellouli, who also won three Pac-10 individual U.S. Summer Nationals women’s title. His “Swim Most recently, at the 2005 World titles. with SChubert” swim camp, like his USC and Championships in Montreal, junior Larsen The 2003 season was extremely successful Trojan Swim Club teams, works out of USC’s Jensen won a pair of silver medals (800m and as the both teams remained among the elite in McDonald’s Swim Stadium. 1500m free) while senior Ous Mellouli won the country. Schubert guided the women to third One of the United States’ most recognizable two bronze medals (400m IM and 400m free). place at the NCAA Championships, its highest and successful coaches of all-time, Schubert was Former great won a gold (800m finish since winning the team title in 1997. The inducted into the International Swimming Hall of free relay) and a bronze (400m IM) while diver women’s team had five All-American swimmers Fame in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 10, 1997 Blythe Hartley won a gold (1meter). who earned a combined 16 All-American as “Honor Coach.” The same year, he also was USC was well represented in Athens in 2004 honors. The men’s squad took fifth for the named Coach of the Year by five organizations: with 18 athletes from four continents competing. second year in a row and finished in the top six American Swimming Coaches Association, Among the medal winners were , Erik for the seventh year in a row. The team featured United States Olympic Committee, United States Vendt, Hartley (Canada), Jensen and Sandeno eight swimmers who earned a combined 21 All- Swimming, NCAA and Pac-10. Two years later, while others like Ous (Tunisia) and Kalyn Keller American honors. he earned a trio of Coach of the Year awards in were finalists. Mellouli also won a gold at the Since Schubert came on board at Troy in 1999, coming from the USOC, ASCA and USS. 2004 World Championships. 1992, he has directed his men’s squads into the Schubert’s international coaching experience In 2003, Mellouli, Mihaly Flaskay (Hungary), top seven at the NCAA Championships eight is highlighted by his seven consecutive coaching Hartley, Vendt, USC great and times and has guided the women’s team into appearances with U.S. Olympic swim teams. In

40 2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

Mark Schubert‘s Collegiate Record YEAR SCHOOL RECORD PAC-10 NCAA FIN. NCAA TITLES CONF. FINISH HONORS 1989 Texas (W) 6-2 — 2 4 1 1990 Texas (W) 9-1 — 1 5 1 1990 NCAA Coach of the Year 1991 Texas (W) 6-1 — 1 8 1 1992 Texas (W) 7-1 — 2 3 1 1992 Olympic Head Coach 1993 USC (M) 8-3 2-2 13 0 4 1994 USC (M) 8-1 3-1 6 0 3 USC (W) 8-1 4-1 6 4 3 1995 USC (M) 6-2 2-2 10 0 3 USC (W) 8-1 4-1 7 0 4 1996 USC (M) 8-1 3-1 7 0 4 1996 Olympic Assistant Coach USC (W) 9-1 4-1 4 5 3 1996 Pac-10 Coach of the Year 1997 USC (M) 8-0 4-0 6 1 2 USC (W) 9-1 4-1 1 4 2 1997 NCAA, Pac-10, USS, USOC, ASCA Coach of the Year 1998 USC (M) 5-2 2-2 5 0 2 USC (W) 8-1 4-1 5 0 2 1999 USC (M) 6-1 3-1 6 0 2 1999 USS, USOC USC (W) 6-2 3-2 6 1 2 and ASCA Coach of the Year 2000 USC (M) 5-2 2-2 6 1 3 2000 Olympic Head Coach USC (W) 5-3 2-3 7 0 5 2001 USC (M) 3-3 1-3 4 2 2 USC (W) 4-3 2-3 6 0 3 2002 USC (M) 4-5 0-4 5 4 4 USC (W) 5-4 1-4 4 2 2 2003 USC (M) 5-3 2-2 3 2 3 USC (W) 5-3 2-3 3 0 3 2004 USC (M) 1-6 0-4 14 0 4 USC (W) 3-5 1-4 9 3 6 2005 USC (M) 4-3 2-2 9 2 3 USC (W) 1-5-1 0-4-1 10 0 5 Overall 169-67-1 49 USC (Men) 71-32 10 USC (Women) 71-30-1 17

Mark Schubert’s Mark Schubert’s U.S. Olympians Career Highlights 2004 1980 (USA Boycott) Lindsay Benko ...... 1 GOLD Steve Barnicoat ...... 1 SILVER HAS WON THREE NCAA TEAM TITLES, TWO AT ...... 1 GOLD Kayln Keller Mary Beth Linzmeier TEXAS (1990-91) AND ONE AT USC (1997) Klete Keller ...... 1 GOLD, 1 BRONZE • ...... 1 GOLD 1976 Kaitlin Sandeno ...... 1 GOLD, 1 SILVER, 1 BRONZE Brian Goodell ...... 2 GOLD IS ATHLETES AT THE TWO SCHOOLS HAVE WON H ...... 1 SILVER 49 NCAA INDIVIDUAL AND RELAY TITLES ...... 1 BRONZE ...... 1 GOLD ...... 4 SILVER • 2000 HAS PLACED 38 OF HIS SWIMMERS ON U.S. Klete Keller ...... 1 SILVER, 1 BRONZE Lenny Krayzelburg...... 3 GOLD Marsha Morey OLYMPIC TEAMS, INCLUDING TRIPLE MEDALLIST Lindsay Benko ...... 1 GOLD KAITLIN SANDENO (2004), TRIPLE GOLD MEDAL Erik Vendt ...... 1 SILVER

WINNERS LENNY KRAYZELBURG (2000) 1996 AND MARY T. MEAGHER (1984) AND DOUBLE ...... 1 GOLD GOLD MEDAL WINNERS (1984) ...... 1 GOLD AND BRIAN GOODELL (1976) 1992 • Janet Evans ...... 1 GOLD HAS COACHED U.S. TEAMS IN THEM LAST ...... 1 SILVER SEVEN OLYMPICS, INCLUDING SERVING AS HEAD Lawrence Frostad COACH OF THE U.S. WOMEN’S TEAM IN 2004, 1988 THE MEN’S TEAM IN 2000 AND THE WOMEN’S Erika Hansen TEAM IN 1992. HIS 2000 MEN’S TEAM WON 16 MEDALS, INCCLUDING SEVEN GOLDS. HIS 1984 1992 WOMEN’S TEAM WON 14 MEDALS, Mike O’Brien ...... 1 GOLD INCLUDING FIVE GOLDS. Rich Saeger ...... 1 GOLD • Tiffany Cohen ...... 2 GOLD Mary T. Meagher ...... 3 GOLD INDUCTED INTO THE INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING ...... 1 GOLD ...... 1 SILVER HALL OF FAME IN 1997 Lenny Krayzelburg

2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 41 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles addition to his aforementioned the Pan Pacs and was NCAA post in 2004, he headed the Swimmer of the Year. men’s team in 2000, was as an Among Schubert’s top assistant in 1996 and was head swimmers in 2001 included two- coach in 1992. Schubert was time World Championship bronze an assistant for the combined medallist Klete Keller, World men’s and women’s teams in Championship silver medallist 1980, 1984 and 1988. He Vendt as well as World University was also the head coach of the Games medallists Ryosuke Imai 1982 U.S. World Championship and . team and was an assistant on Among the Olympians he the 1978, 1982, 1986, 1991, coached in Sydney in 2000 were 1994, 1998 and 2003 World three-time gold medallist Lenny Championships staffs. His Trojan Krayzelburg, gold medallist swimmers captured four medals Benko, silver medallist Vendt in Rome and four more in Perth, and silver and bronze medallist . Keller. As the U.S. Olympic head In his 34 years of coaching, coach for men, he guided the Schubert has placed 38 team to seven gold, six silver and swimmers on U.S. Olympic three bronze medals. teams; these athletes have won Krayzelburg, one of Schubert’s 23 gold and 11 silver medals, most recent phenoms, set the plus eight world championship swimming world ablaze when titles. Even more impressive, he broke three world Schubert’s swimmers have records at the 1999 Pan-Pacs, broken 27 world and more where Schubert served as head than 115 American records and coach. For her part, Benko won have won more than 200 U.S. five medals there and was part national titles. of an American record relay. Schubert’s swimmers had a Warkentin held his own by great summer of 2002. Benko winning four gold medals at the set a world record in the 200m 1999 World University Games. free at the Short Course World Overall, Schubert placed Championships, winning two 12 swimmers on various U.S. golds and swimming on three National teams in 1998 and American record-breaking the U.S. Summer Nationals, but was barely edged 1999, including 1998 World relays. She also won gold at the Pan Pacs. Vendt by at the wall. He won a pair of Championship participants Krayzelburg, Bard went under the world record in the 400m IM at silvers in the 400m IM and the 1500m free at Bridgewater and Benko. Krayzelburg, Bridgewater,

42 2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

Bret Awbrey and Warkentin all competed for the U.S. at the 1998 Goodwill Team in Boca Raton, Fla., which won nine national team titles from 1986- Games. Pan-Pac participants from 1999 included Krayzelburg, Benko and 89. Schubert helped design the Mission Bay Aquatic Center and directed Bridgewater. Leonardo Costa and Karen Campbell made Schubert proud daily operations of one of the world’s most comprehensive aquatic centers, at the 1999 Pan Am Games, each taking home a gold. Rounding out the including competitive swimming, diving and master’s programs. international competition were Corrie Murphy and Gabe Woodward at the Schubert initially made his mark on the national level as the head World University Games and Paige Francis, Mike Williams, Philippe Demers coach of the internationally renowned and highly successful Mission Viejo and Costa at the 1999 World Short Course Championships. (Calif.) Nadadores from 1972 to 1985. While there, he coached such In 1997, Schubert led USC to its first ever NCAA women’s swimming talented swimmers as Cohen, Meagher, Babashoff, Brian Goodell, Mike and diving team title that was led by huge efforts from Kristine Quance and O’Brien, Jesse Vassallo, Sippy Woodhead and Dara Torres. His teams won Benko. a national-record 44 national team titles during his tenure. Schubert was Schubert’s 1996 Atlanta Olympic performers included Bridgewater named national Coach of the Year by the American Swimming Coaches and Quance (both gold medalists) and Janet Evans (a gold medallist in Association in 1981, 1976 and 1975. Barcelona and Seoul). Schubert coached at the high school level at Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) As the 1992 USA Women’s Olympic head coach, he guided the American High from 1971 to 1972 and at Mission Viejo (Calif.) High from 1973 to women to two gold medal relay world records, four additional American 1975, where his team won the 1975 CIF title. He is a 1971 graduate of records and an impressive world-leading 14 medals, including five gold. Kentucky with a B.A. in education (he swam there from 1967-69), and he He has also coached Erika Hansen (formerly a USC assistant coach), began his coaching career with the Wildcats, serving as an assistant coach Lawrence Frostad, former Olympic champions Mary T. Meagher (a triple from 1969 to 1971. gold medallist in 1984) and double gold medallist Tiffany Cohen, Trojans His swimming-related duties include serving on the American Swimming Sippy Woodhead and Mike O’Brien as well as Olympic champions Brian Coaches Association (ASCA) Board of Directors since 1975. He is a former Goodell and Shirley Babashoff. vice-president and member of the Board of Directors of the College Swim Schubert came to USC from the University of Texas, where his swimmers Coaches Association of America. won two NCAA team titles (1990 and 1991) and four Southwest Conference Schubert was honored by NACDA (the National Association of Athletic championships in his four years there (1989-92). His Longhorn swimmers Directors) for his role in the success of the 1992 and 1996 USA Olympic won 12 NCAA individual and eight relay titles and Schubert was named Team. 1990 NCAA Coach of the Year for his efforts. Among the swimmers Schubert Schubert and his wife, Joke, live in Seal Beach, Calif., with their coached to NCAA titles were American record holders and daughters, Tatum, 28, and Leigh, 26, both former swimmers. Joke was the Whitney Hedgpeth. He also served as the head coach of the 350-member head manager for the U.S. swimmers at the 2000 Olympics and was an Texas Aquatics U.S. Swimming club team that won 10 national titles during assistant manager for the U.S. swim team at the 1996 Olympics. his four-year tenure. Prior to taking over at Texas, Schubert was one of the top club coaches in the U.S., serving as the head coach of the Mission Bay Makos Swim

2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 43 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

VIC RIGGS LINDSAY MINTENKO HEAD ASSISTANT COACH ASSISTANT COACH THIRD YEAR FIRST YEAR

Vic Riggs, a veteran swim coach with more than a decade of experience Former USC NCAA champion and Olympic gold medallist Lindsay coaching club swimmers from the developmental to Olympic levels, is in his Mintenko (formerly Lindsay Benko) was named a USC swimming assistant third year as head assistant coach on USC’s staff. coach by Head Coach Mark Schubert on July 6, 2005. In his second year at USC, Riggs helped guide Ous Mellouli (400y IM) A five-time NCAA champion at USC from 1996-99, Mintenko (who and Larsen Jensen (1650y Free) to their first NCAA titles. He was also key recently married Olympic swimmer Mike Mintenko) was one of the world’s in the development of All-Americans Mihaly Flaskay (second in the 100y top freestyle swimmers, winning gold medals as a U.S. team captain at the breast at the NCAAs) and Sean Sussex (fourth fastest 50y free performance 2000 and 2004 Olympics. A career 10-time U.S. national champion who in school history). Overall, he helped coach 12 Trojan men’s and women’s won three medals at the 2003 World Championships, Benko holds the swimmers earn All-American recognition. world and American records in the 200 and 400 freestyles (scm) and is the In his first year at USC, Riggs helped coach 2004 All-Americans Ous American record-holder in the 200 free (lcm). Mellouli and Paul Fahey as well as NCAA champion Kalyn Keller (1500m free), among others. She also served as a USC volunteer assistant coach from 2001-2004 Riggs is the recruiting coordinator for the men’s and women’s teams while training under Schubert with the Trojan Swim Club. and is the coach for the sprint and groups. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Mintenko won her second Riggs, an All-American swimmer and a two-time Olympic Trial qualifier, career gold medal after swimming in the prelims of the 4x200m free relay joined USC after two years (2001-03) as head coach and owner of the and won a silver medal after a prelim swim in the 4x100m free relay. She Gator Swim Club in Gainesville, Fla. During that time, he also served as also swam the 200m free. She won her final U.S. national title in the 200m the head coach for the U.S. National Distance Camp in May of 2002, his free in the Spring of 2004. second consecutive stint as the camp’s head coach (2000). In 2003, she won a gold and a silver on two relays at the 2003 World From 1995 to 2001, Riggs, 36, and his wife, Renee, directed the Nellie Championships. She also won her eighth and ninth U.S. national titles at Gail Saddleback Valley Gators, coaching more than 120 swimmers from the 2003 U.S. Spring Nationals, and was the high-point scorer at the meet. ages 5 to 21, from novice level to Olympic. In 2002, she won the 200m free at the Short Course World Championships Among the athletes Riggs coached in that time was current Trojan All- and the Pan-Pacific Championships. In 2001, she won a gold and a silver American and Olympic medallist Kaitlin Sandeno, who won a bronze at at the . the 2000 Olympics. During his time with NGSV, Riggs coached 15 junior At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Benko won gold as part of national swimmers who won three junior national titles, set two junior national records, 26 National Championship standards, 15 Top 8 National the 4x200m free relay, swimming the third leg in the final, and also swam in Championship finishes, 57Junior National qualifying standards and 11 the 200m free and 200m back. 2000 Olympic Trial standards. Benko served as a co-captain for the U.S. contingent at the 1999 Pan Before joining efforts with his wife, Riggs served as the senior and age Pacific Championships, also in Sydney, Australia. She proceeded to have group head coach at Saddleback Valley Aquatics in Lake Forest, Calif., from the meet of her life down under, winning five medals and swimming on an 1991-95. He was an assistant swim coach at Cal State San Bernardino American record relay. She won a pair of golds in the 4x100m and 4x200m from 1990-91 and also served as head age group coach for Riverside free relays, the latter setting a U.S. record. In fact, her lead-off leg of the Aquatics in that time. relay (1:58.86) was the third-fastest all-time American performance for 200 He began his coaching career in Southern California as the senior meters. Benko also won silver medals in the 200m and 400m free and a assistant at Fullerton Area Sports Team (FAST) in 1989. bronze in the 200m back. Riggs competed at California, earning All-American second team Benko’s 10 U.S. national titles included seven in the 200m free, two in notice in 1986 and swam on Cal’s second-place NCAA team that year. He the 400m free and one in the 200m back. She won a silver medal at the was ranked seventh in the world in the 1500m free and 9th in the 400m free 1998 World Championships as part of the U.S. 800m free relay and also in 1985 and was in the Top 25 in the world in both events in 1984. A 1985 World University Games participant for the U.S., he was an reached the finals of the 200m free. She also won a gold in the 4x200m Olympic Trials qualifier in 1984 and 1988. He was a 28-time qualifier for free relay at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships. the U.S. Senior Nationals from 1983-89 and won a junior national title in She finished her career at Troy as a five-time NCAA champion, three in 1982. the 500y free (1996, 1997 and 1999) and two in the 200y back (1996 Riggs is married to wife Renee and they have four girls. They are and 1997). Benko, a team captain as a junior and senior, was a 21-time Abigail, 5, Kathryn, 3, and infant twins, Irene and Caroline. All-American in her four-year stay at USC and reached the NCAA finals in all 12 individual events in which she competed. Benko’s five career NCAA wins at USC is second only to Kristine Quance’s eight and at the end of the 1998-99 spring semester, Benko owned a USC-high eight individual school records and five relay records. She also won six career Pac-10 titles.

44 2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

PAIGE FRANCIS TAMAS KEREKJARTO ASSISTANT COACH GRADUATE COACH FIRST YEAR SECOND YEAR

A six-time Trojan All-American and a member of USC’s first women’s An eight-time All-American at USC and a two-time Olympian, Tamas swimming and diving national championship team, Paige Francis is in her Kerekjarto is in his second season as a volunteer assistant coach at USC. first season as an assistant coach with the Trojans and second on the USC Most recently, he represented Hungary at the 2004 Olympics, reaching staff. Francis served as a graduate assistant coach in 2005. the semifinals of the 200m IM (finishing 13th overall). Prior to being hired at USC, Francis trained with the Irvine Novaquatics He is USC’s second-fastest swimmer ever in the 200y IM (1:45.56) and from 2002-04 while working part-time, but she retired from the sport prior is fourth-fastest in the 400y IM (3:44.85). He also has a top 10 time in the to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. 200y fly. She lived in Austin before that, working in public affairs and training He was a four-time All-American as a senior in 2002 and helped USC with the University of Texas women’s team from 2001-02. to an NCAA title in the 800y free relay. He also earned All-American honors A four-year swimmer at USC from 1997-2000, Francis graduated from in the 200y and 400y IM and the 400y free relay. USC with a degree in communications with a minor in business. Kerekjarto was a three-time All-American as a 2001 junior, taking fourth As a senior in 2000, Francis competed in seven events at the NCAA in the 200y IM (1:45.65), sixth in the 400y IM (3:44.85) and helping USC to Championships, earning All-American honors in the 400m medley relay. a second-place finish in the 800y free relay at the NCAA Championships. He At the 2000 Pac-10 Championships, she was seventh in the 100y back was also 20th in the 200y fly (1:45.95). At the 2001 Pacific-10 Conference (55.43) and 10th in the 200y back (1:59.51). Championships, Kerekjarto was second in the 200y IM (1:46.12), third in As a junior in 1999, Francis was a two-time All-American, anchoring the 400y IM (3:45.81) and sixth in the 200y fly (1:45.95). He just missed USC’s fifth-place 400y medley relay and swimming second on Troy’s medalling at the 2001 World University Games, taking fourth in both the eighth-place 200y free relay. She also swam on the 400y and 800y free 200m IM (2:03.38) and the 400m IM (4:25.04). relays. Individually, Francis was 28th in the 200y back (2:00.70) and 34th As a 2000 sophomore, Kerekjarto joined the USC team in the spring in the 200y free (1:49.89). At the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, Francis semester and earned All-American honors shortly after. He competed in finalled in the 200y free, taking eighth in 1:49.04. She represented the three individual events at the 2000 NCAAs, but earned his All-American United States at the 1999 FINA Short Course World Championships in honor by helping USC’s 400m medley qualify for the finals. Individually, Hong Kong and had a strong meet, posting a pair of sixth-place finishes in he won the consolation final of the 200m IM (1:58.23, scm) and was 30th the 100m (1:01.27) and 200m back (2:10.19). Francis reached the finals in the 200m fly (2:00.24, scm). At the 2000 Pac-10s, Kerekjarto was third of the 200m back (2:14.36, scm) at the 1998 FINA World Cup, finishing in the 200y IM (1:47.06), sixth in the 400y IM (3:50.11) and 13th in the seventh. She was a 1999 Pac-10 All-Academic second team selection with 200y fly (1:48.83). At the 2000 U.S. Spring Nationals, he was 24th in the a 3.17 GPA in communications. 200m free (1:54.85). He also helped the USC 400m and 800m free relays As a 1998 sophomore, Francis competed in five events at the NCAA reach the finals. At the 1999 U.S. Open, he took seventh in the 400m IM Championships, highlighted by an 18th in the 200y free. She also swam on (4:29.72) and 13th in the 200m fly (2:04.74). USC’s 200y, 400y and 800y free relays. Francis was a consolation finalist Kerekjarto came to USC with quite a bit of international experience. at the 1998 U.S. Summer Nationals in the 100m back (1:03.51) and He competed for Hungary at the 1996 Olympics, taking 55th in the 50m competed in the 100m and 200m free and the 200m back. free. Later that same year, he won the 200m IM at the European Junior Francis was a three-time All-American as a 1997 freshman, helping Championships. He also won the event at the same meet in 1997 and lead USC to its first-ever national championship. She swam on USC’s took second in both the 100m and 200m free. He competed at the 1999 fourth-place 200y medley and 800y free relays and on the seventh-place European Championships and was 10th in the 400m IM and 15th in the 400y free relay at the NCAAs. Individually at the NCAAs, she took 11th in 200m IM. the 200y back (1:59.31), 27th in the 100y back (56.26) and 28th in the Kerekjarto (pronounced kerry-kee-arr-TOE) was born July 9, 1979, in 200y free (1:49.87). At the 1997 Pac-10 Championships, Francis took fifth Miskolc, Hungary. He came to USC thanks in part to his friendship with in the 200y back (1:59.49), sixth in the 200y free (1:49.65) and 10th in the former USC All-American and world champion swimmer Bela Szabados, 200y IM (2:03.65). At the 1997 World University Games, Francis was third who also competed on the Hungarian national team. in the 100m back (1:03.89). Francis was a prep All-American in the 100y and 200y free and 100y back at Arcadia High in Scottsdale, Ariz., and competed for Phoenix Swim Club. She was a four-time Arizona state champion in the 100y back and a three-time champion in the 200y free.

2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 45 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

HONGPING LI

HEAD DIVING COACH • SEVENTH YEAR

An NCAA champion and two-time Olympian who has been one of the most successful NCAA coaches in recent years, Hongping Li is in his seventh year as USC’s head diving coach. He was named to the position on July 1, 1999. Li, the 2002 NCAA and 2001-03 and 2005 Pac-10 Women’s Diving Coach of the Year and the winner of the 1998 and 1999 United States Olympic Committee’s “Diving Developmental Coach of the Year” award, came to USC after serving as the head coach of the Mission Viejo (Calif.) Nadadores Diving Team since 1993. Championships in Rome, Italy. “Hongping is one of the finest young coaches in the country,” USC He earned NCAA Coach of the Year honors after directing the women’s Head Swim Coach Mark Schubert said. “He had spectacular results at the diving squad to superb results at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Hartley club level at Mission Viejo and he has continued that here. He comes from won a pair of NCAA titles and made three finals appearances on her way a great tradition of diving, which gives a tremendous new aspect to our to 2002 NCAA Women’s Diver of the Year while Fusaro also made three program. He’s also a USC graduate and a former NCAA champion, so he NCAA finals appearances. Senior diver Kellie Brennan also scored and just knows our tradition here as well.” missed earning All-American honors. Also in 2002, Hartley won a silver and Li, who was an assistant coach on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Diving team, a bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games while Fusaro qualified for the has had immediate and sustained success in his first six years at USC, direct- 2002 U.S. national team. ing four men’s and women’s divers to a combined 21 All-American honors In 2001, Li guided Brennan to a pair of All-American honors (and and three NCAA titles. In 2005, Blythe Hartley won her third career NCAA title while Ray Vincent earned his third consecutive All- American honors on the platform, marking the sixth consecutive season Li’s divers earned All-American honors. Hartley was named 2005 NCAA and Pac-10 women’s diver of the year after winning the NCAA 3- meter title and her fifth and sixth career Pac-10 titles a few weeks earlier. She went on to win her second career World Championship gold medal on 3-meter in July, 2005, in Montreal. Vincent also won a Pac-10 title on platform (the third time in a row a USC diver has done so) and Troy’s men’s diving contingent was the highest scoring unit of the meet. In 2004, Vincent earned All-American honors on the platform, continuing Li’s streak of having Trojans earn All-American honors each year he’s been at USC. Additionally, Hartley represented Canada at the 2004 Olympics (winning bronze on synchronized platform) while Li’s club diver Rachelle Kunkel made the U.S. team placing 9th on 3-meter springboard. In 2003, three of Li’s divers earned All-American honors. Vincent became Li’s first men’s diver at USC to do so, taking third in the platform at the 2003 NCAA Championships. At the women’s NCAAs, Hartley was a three-time All-American while Nicci Fusaro earned one All-American honor. Hartley also swept the 2003 Pac-10 Championship diving events on the women’s side (Fusaro took a pair of seconds) and Vincent won the platform title in the men’s meet. For their efforts, Li was named 2003 Pac-10 Women’s Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season and Hartley was named Pac-10 Women’s Diver of the Year for the sec- ond straight year. Li also served as head coach for the U.S. Diving team that competed at the 2003 Grand Prix Diving

46 2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

USC Coach Hongping Li with Nicci Fusaro (middle) and Blythe Hartley at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Hartley won two NCAA titles in 2002 and both she and Fusaro were three-time All-Americans. Li was named 2002 NCAA Coach of the Year while Hartley was tabbed 2002 NCAA Diver of the Year. her third consecutive Pac-10 1-meter title) and National Championships team title as well as Fusaro to her first at the 2001 NCAAs. Both every Western National team title since 1996. also reached the top three at the 2001 U.S. He served as an assistant coach at Mission Viejo HONGPINGONGPING LI’S Indoor Championships. Brennan was named from 1989-93, helping the club to consecutive Pac-10 Diver of the Year, Fusaro was tabbed junior team titles from 1991-93. USCUSC HIGHLIGHTSIGHLIGHTS as Newcomer of the Year and Li earned his first Originally from Beijing, Li was a 12-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year honor. A year earlier national champion and a two-time Olympian 20022002 NCAANCAA WOMENOMEN’S in 2000, Li helped guide Brennan to her first two while competing for . He finished fourth on All-American honors. the 3-meter springboard at the 1984 Olympics COACHOACH OFOF THETHE YEAREAR Li, 42, was named the 1998 and 1999 U.S. in and earned gold medals on the • Diving Outstanding Age Group Coach of the platform at the 1981 FINA World Cup in 2001,2001, 2002,2002, 20032003 PACAC-10-10 Year, was a U.S. team coach at the 1999 Pan Am City and the 1981 World University Games. He WOMENOMEN’S COACHOACH OFOF THETHE YEAREAR Games, the 1998 World Diving Championships, also qualified for the 1980 Olympics, but did the and the 1997 World not compete because of the Chinese boycott. • Junior Championships, and earned the Coach Li attended USC from 1985-89 and re- LI HASHAS DIRECTEDDIRECTED USCUSC DIVERSDIVERS TOTO of Excellence award at the 1995 Senior National ceived a bachelor’s degree in physical educa- THREETHREE NCAANCAA TITLESTITLES ANDAND A COMBINEDCOMBINED Championships. He is also a voting member of tion in 1989. He won an NCAA title in the 2211 ALLLL-A-AMERICANMERICAN HONORSHONORS both the USA Diving’s Committee Olympic Suc- 3-meter springboard as a freshman in 1986 cess and USA Diving’s Competitive Committee and earned All-American honors in the 1-meter • of Excellence. springboard. He also earned Pac-10 titles in the UNDERNDER LI, TROJANROJAN DIVERSDIVERS HAVEHAVE WONWON At Mission Viejo, he produced eight Junior 1- and 3-meter springboards that same year. He A COMBIENDCOMBIEND 1414 PACAC-10-10 TITLESTITLES ANDAND National champions who won a combined was not eligible to compete after 1986 because HAVEHAVE BEENBEEN NAMEDNAMED BOTHBOTH PACAC-10-10 DIVERIVER 20 individual titles. Among the elite divers Li of an NCAA age rule. coached was Erica Sorgi, who has captured five Li lives in La Palma, Calif., with his wife, Ling, OFOF THETHE YEAREAR ANDAND NEWCOMEREWCOMER DIVERIVER senior national titles since 1996. and their 11-year-old daughter, Amanda. OFOF THETHE YEAREAR FOURFOUR TIMESTIMES Li led the Nadadores to the 1998 Junior

2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving 47 2005-2006 Coaches Profiles

KAITLIN SANDENO MIKE MINTENKO VOLUNTEER COACH VOLUNTEER COACH SECOND YEAR FIRST YEAR

A four-time Olympic medallist, two-time NCAA champion and 12-time All-Amer- Mike Mintenko, a two-time Olympian and world championship medallist -- ican in three years at USC, Trojan great Kaitlin Sandeno is in her second year as a husband of USC assistant coach Lindsay Mintenko -- is in his first year as a volunteer volunteer assistant coach with Troy. assistant coach with the USC men’s and women’s swimming teams. One of the world’s greatest swimmers, Sandeno competed three years at USC Mintenko, who retired from competitive swimming in November of 2005, is one (2002-2004) before turning professional prior to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Ath- of the most successful Canadian swimmers in the last decade. ens, Greece. It was a move that paid off for Sandeno, who was one of the stars of In an eight-year Canadian national career, the the butterfly specialist competed the Games. She won gold as the anchor of the world-record setting American 800m at the last two , highlighted by a fifth-place finish in the men’s 100m free relay, won silver in the 400m IM in an American record time (4:34.95) and won fly at the Sydney Games. bronze in the 400m free (4:06.19). She was also fourth in the 200m fly. Sandeno He saved his best overall international performance for last. At the 2005 World competed in six events at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, winning the 400m free in Championships, he helped Canada to a silver medal in the 400m free relay (setting 4:08.07. She was also second in both the 400m IM (4:40.39) and the 200m fly a Canadian record) and added fifth and eighth place finishes in the 50m and 100m (2:09.94), third in the 200m free (1:59.55) and sixth in the 800m free (8:32.74). fly, respectively. At the 2005 World Championships, Sandeno won gold as part of the 800m free Mintenko was a 100m fly finalist at the 2000 Olympics as well as the 2001 relay and won bronze in the 400m IM (4:40.85). World Championships. At the 2004 NCAA Championships, Sandeno won her first two NCAA titles and He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sport and fitness from UNLV. came within a hair of winning a third. She set the American, U.S. Open, NCAA and USC record en route to winning the 400m IM (4:30.44, scm) and broke the NCAA, U.S. Open and USC records by finishing first in the 200m IM (2:08.11, scm). She set the USC record in the 200m fly (2:06.02) and was only 0.05 from first. Despite that, she was still the meet’s highest scorer with 57 individual points. She won her fifth and JOANNA FARGUS sixth career Pac-10 titles at the 2004 Pac-10 Championships, winning the 400y IM UNDERGRADUATE COACH (4:05.74) and the 200y fly (1:52.63) in USC and Pac-10 meet records. She was also second in the 200y IM. FIRST YEAR Sandeno had a huge sophomore season in 2003, swimming healthy after bat- tling injuries as a freshman. She turned in a team-high five All-American performanc- es, including three top-3 finishes. She finished second in the 500y free (4:39.31, a USC record) and third in both the 400y IM (4:07.20) and the 1650y free (15:58.58). Sandeno also led off the Trojans’ third-place 800y free relay and their eighth-place 400y medley relay in addition to swimming on USC’s 400y free relay. At the 2003 Pac-10s, Sandeno won titles in the 500y free (4:39.50), 1650y free (15:54.51, a USC record) and the 400y IM (4:09.14). She also anchored USC’s winning 800y free relay, becoming the first Trojan to win a combined four Pac-10 titles since Sue Habernigg won a combined five in 1985. Sandeno won her sixth career national title in the 400m IM and seventh overall at the 2003 U.S. Spring Nationals. Later in the summer, at the 2003 U.S. Summer Nationals, Sandeno earned the meet’s individual high point award as she won three individual and one relay title. She took firsts in the 400m IM (4:40.82), 200m fly (2:08.78) and the 200m IM (2:12.97). Despite a severe back strain that limited Sandeno’s training until the final four weeks of the season, she was still among USC’s top swimmers as a 2002 freshman and was a three-time All-American at the NCAAs Sandeno had a spectacular career while a prep at El Toro High in Lake Forest, Joanna Fargus, a six-time All-American at USC and former co-captain, is in her Calif., and with the Nellie Gail Saddleback Valley Club. She competed in three of the first year as an undergraduate coach for the Trojan program. most grueling events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, winning a bronze in the 800m She earned an All-American honor as part of USC’s 800y free relay in 2005 and free. She finished fourth in the 400m IM and sixth in the 200m fly. Before graduating won her first career Pac-10 title in the 200y back. from El Toro, Sandeno won her fifth and sixth career U.S. national titles at the 2001 Fargus, who struggled as 2003 sophomore because of an ankle injury, was also U.S. Spring National, taking the 400m IM and the 200m fly. At the 2001 World an All-American in the 800m free relay as a 2004 junior and set a school record Championships, Sandeno competed in four events, taking bronzes in the 200m fly in the 200m back (scm). At the 2004 Pac-10 Championships, Fargus’ efforts were (2:08.52) and 800m free (8:31.45). She was also fifth in the 400m IM (4:43.13) and highlighted by a third-place finish in the 200y back. sixth in the 1500m free (16:28.91). She is among only six women ever to qualify for As a freshman in 2002, she was a four-time All-American and a two-time NCAA four events at the Worlds (joining, among others, former Trojans Sippy Woodhead and back finalist. Also in 2002 at the Commonwealth Games, she took second in the Kristine Quance-Julian and former USC coach Janet Evans). 200m back and helped England to a gold in the 800m free relay. Fargus came to USC as an accomplished international swimmer, winning a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships in the 200m back and finishing ninth in the same event at the 2000 Olympics. She is a communications major.

48 2005-2006 USC Swimming and Diving