University of South Dakota Athletics

Don McCullough of Vermillion, SD, ranks as one of the world's top master's competitors and is responsible for the development of a swimming and diving team at South Dakota. McCullough, a member of a nation al championship swim team at Ohio State in 1940, eventually became a head coach and started swim programs at Alabama and Emporia, KS. Later McCullough served as chairman of the USD HPER department for three years while also coaching gymnastics. In 1968, McCullough put all of his energy into building a Coyote swim team. Despite having no scholarships "Doc" brought in swimmers from places like Florida, Nebraska, and Texas. McCullough stepped down as Coyote swim coach in 1981, but continued on for a number of years working with the diving team. McCullough went from coaching athletes to coaching himself in the pool. Since 1981, McCullough has ranked as one of the world's top competitors in the masters' swimming division. "Doc" competes all over the world and has set six world records for his age group. In 1996 at Ann Arbor, MI, McCullough won four-events in the 80-85 division of the Masters Long Course Championship. He won the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 individual medley, and 400 individual medley. In the 200 breaststroke he broke his own national masters' record.