INTRODUCTION TABLE OF CONTENTS MEDIA NOTES UNIVERSITY INFORMATION Quick Facts ____________________________ 1 ALABAMA ATHLETICS A New Era ___________________________ 2-3 COMMUNICATIONS: Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala. The University of Alabama ______________ 4-5 The Alabama Athletics Communications Enrollment: 33,602 Offi ce is located on the ground level of Founded: April 12, 1831 Athletics Director Mal Moore _______________6 Coleman Coliseum. Conference: Southeastern (SEC) Colors: Crimson & White Alabama President Dr. Judy Bonner __________ 7 INTRODUCTION FACILITIES: Nickname: Crimson Tide The Alabama swimming and diving teams compete and practice in the Don President: Dr. Judy Bonner SWIMMING & DIVING STAFF Gambril Olympic Pool at the Alabama NCAA Faculty Representative: Dr. Kevin Whitaker Head Coach Dennis Pursley ______________ 8-9 Aquatic Center (capacity 1,000), located on the corner of Paul W. Bryant Drive and Athletics Director: Mal Moore Diving Coach Pat Greenwell _______________10 Hackberry Lane. The swimming and diving Assistant Coach Jonty Skinner _____________ 10 offi ces are located in the Aquatic Center. Deputy Director of Athletics: Shane Lyons Assistant Coach James Barber ______________11 INTERVIEWS: Executive Associate Athletics Director: Finus Gaston The coaching staff is available for Assistant Coach Mike Davidson ____________ 11 interviews in person or by telephone by Senior Associate Athletics Directors: Assistant Coach Lisa Ebeling ______________ 12 prior arrangement. Athletes may not be Kevin Almond, Milton Overton, Ronny Roberston Assistant Coach Scott Crawford ____________ 12 interviewed on meet day until post-meet Associate Athletics Director/ Assistant Coach David Pursley _____________ 12 interviews are granted. Interviews with Senior Woman Administrator: Marie Robbins Alabama swimmers and divers must be Swimming & Diving Support Staff _________ 13 arranged through Roots Woodruff of Associate Athletics Directors: the athletics communications offi ce at Jonathan Bowling, Jon Dever, Carol Park, (205) 348-6084. The best times for athlete Jeff Purinton, Thad Turnipseed, Doug Walker THE MEN interviews are either before or after practice at the Alabama Aquatic Center. Interview Assistant Athletics Directors: Roster/Outlook _____________________ 14-16 Jeff Allen, Chris Besanceney, Tommy Ford, requests should be made at least 24 hours Bios ______________________________ 17-25 in advance. Brad Ledford, Aaron Vold Review ____________________________ 26-28 UA VIDEO FEEDS/TELEVISION: Associate A.D./Athletics Communications: Alabama on the National Scene _________ 29-32 The University of Alabama, through the Doug Walker Crimson Tide Sports Network (CTSN), Alabama in the SEC __________________ 33-35 offers an FTP site that provide up-to- Associate Athletics Communications Directors: A Fast History of UA Swimming & Diving ___ 36 date interviews with coaches and athletes, Josh, Maxson, Roots Woodruff (swimming/diving contact) taped video highlights and narrated video Year-by-Year Records ___________________ 37 packages from September through May. Assistant Athletics Communications Directors: All-Time Roster _____________________ 38-39 On occasion, the swimming and diving Rich Davi, Jessica Paré, Skip Powers program is featured in this package. Please All-Time Top 10/Records _____________ 40-41 call the Athletics Communications Offi ce Athletics Department Photographer: for more details at 205-348-6084. During Kent Gidley the fall, the swimming and diving team’s THE WOMEN progress will be covered on “Crimson Tide S & D Athletics Communications Director: Roster/Outlook _____________________ 42-44 This Week,” a 30-minute weekly regional Roots Woodruff sports show. Office Phone: (205) 348-2088 Bios ______________________________ 45-51 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Review ____________________________ 52-54 SEC VIDEO FEEDS/TELEVISION: Participating news affi liates can also select Alabama on the National Scene _________ 55-58 Credits: The 2013 Alabama Swimming and individual clips to insert directly into online Alabama & the SEC __________________ 59-61 stories. Television stations have access to Diving Media Guide is a product of the an FTP account to run content on-air. The Crimson Tide’s athletics communications Brief History of UA Swimming & Diving ____ 62 SEC Affi liate Network is managed through department. It was written and edited by Roots Year-by-Year Results/Coaching Records _____ 63 XOS Digital. To join, please request a Woodruff. Additional editing by Pete LaFleur. participation form from the program’s Photo credits are due the Alabama Athletics All-Time Roster _____________________ 64-65 director, Anna Marie Neri, at aneri@ Photography Department and the Athletics All-Time Top 10/Records _____________ 66-67 xosdigital.com or at 407-670-5049. Communications archives. Photos from the 2012 SEC Championships provided by Adam INTERNET: Booher. Photos from the 2009 SEC Champion- THE CRIMSON TIDE Information about University of Alabama ships provided by Todd Van Emst. Cover pho- athletics can be found at RollTide.com, tos by Kent Gidley. Covers designed by Brent Crimson Tide Academics ______________ 68-72 the offi cial internet site of the Crimson Hollingsworth. Copyright 2012 by the Board UA Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame ___ 73-75 Tide athletics department. For information of Trustees of the University of Alabama. Alabama in the Olympics ______________ 76-77 about the University of Alabama, go to “Roll Tide”, “Crimson Tide”, “Bama” and the www.ua.edu. primary and secondary logos are registered Alabama’s National Champions _________ 78-79 trademarks of The University of Alabama. The Alabama Aquatic Center ______________80 ROLLTIDE.COM 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION “Our mission is to build a culture of excellence that will enable the team and each individual on the team to achieve their full potential in the pool, in the classroom and in life.” -DENNIS PURSLEY HEAD SWIMMING & DIVING COACH UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA A NEW ERA OF CRIMSON TIDE SWIMMING AND DIVING There’s a new look on the deck of the Alabama Aquatic Center that goes well beyond the nearly 20 freshmen that populate this year’s rosters. That new look starts at the top with fi rst-year head coach Dennis Pursley and extends through a staff that includes fi ve new assistant coaches to go with two returners from a year ago. Plenty of the new faces look awfully familiar though, and once again that starts at the top. This will be Pursley’s second stint with Alabama swimming and diving following a career spent at the highest echelon of the sport. The Louisville, Ky., native worked under Tide legends John Foster and Don Gambril to start his coaching career in the mid-1970s, following an Alabama career that included earning All-Southeastern Conference honors and an SEC 200 breaststroke title. He also earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the Capstone. The Hall of Fame coach returns to the deck of the Alabama Aquatic Center 2 ALABAMA SWIMMING AND DIVING INTRODUCTION CRIMSON TIDE COACHING STAFF STAFF DIRECTORY Head Coach: Dennis Pursley Alma Mater, Year: Alabama, 1972 Master’s Degree: Alabama, 1973 Year at Alabama: First Office Phone: (205) 348-3912 E-Mail Address: [email protected] INTRODUCTION Assistant Coach: Jonty Skinner Alma Mater, Year: Alabama, 1978 Year at Alabama: First Office Phone: (205) 348-9919 E-Mail Address: [email protected] PAT JONTY LISA JAMES GREENWELL SKINNER EBELING BARBER Assistant Coach: James Barber Diving Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Alma Mater, Year: Auburn at Montgomery, 1996 Master’s Degree: South Alabama, 1998 Year at Alabama: Sixth Office Phone: (205) 348-3914 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Assistant Coach: Mike Davidson Alma Mater, Year: Alabama, 1989 Year at Alabama: First Office Phone: (205) 348-3914 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Assistant Coach: Lisa Ebeling Alma Mater, Year: Arizona, 2007 MIKE SCOTT DAVID Year at Alabama: First Office Phone: (205) 348-3914 DAVIDSON CRAWFORD PURSLEY E-Mail Address: [email protected] Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Diving Coach: Pat Greenwell after stops as the national team director Fla. Other coaching stops include head coach Alma Mater, Year: Pittsburgh, 1980 for USA Swimming, the head coach of the of Sub-4 Swimming and a stint as a New Master’s Degree: Clemson, 1981 Australian Institute of Sport and his most Zealand national team coach. Year at Alabama: 26th recent post as the head coach of British The Tide has also added assistant coach Office Phone: (205) 348-3915 Swimming where he led the Great Britain to a Lisa Ebeling, who joined the staff after stints E-Mail Address: [email protected] UK-best 23 spots in the championship fi nals as an assistant coach at the University of Assistant Coach: Scott Crawford of the London Olympics. Utah, in the Utes fi rst Pac 12 season, and Alma Mater, Year: Queensland University “The opportunity to work closely with Rutgers University. Also joining the UA staff of Technology, 1990 many of the world’s top swimmers and are assistant coaches Scott Crawford and Year at Alabama: 1st coaches in recent years has broadened David Pursley. Crawford comes to the Tide Office Phone: (205) 348-9745 my vision and I am excited to bring these after a stint as a volunteer coach for St. Peter’s E-Mail Address: [email protected] ideas and concepts to the deck here at the Western Swim Club, one of the leading age Capstone,” Pursley said. “I’m really excited group programs in Australia. A member of Assistant Coach: David Pursley to rejoin the Alabama family, especially Arizona’s 2008 NCAA championship squad, Alma Mater, Year: Utah, 2010 during this era of enthusiasm, optimism and David Pursley coached at the University of Year at Alabama: 1st progress on the University campus.” North Carolina Aquatic Club in 2012. Office Phone: (205) 348-3918 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Pursley also brought back Crimson Tide The Tide’s newest coaches are joined by stalwarts Jonty Skinner and Mike Davidson veterans Pat Greenwell and James Barber. Administrative Assistant: Nancy Perry as assistant coaches.