Ryan Berube
A 26-time NCAA all-American swimmer, Berube finished his senior year at Southern Methodist University by being voted 1996 NCAA Swimmer of the Year after winning the 200 individual medley and the 100 and 200 backstroke. Internationally, he won relay gold medals at the 1993 World University Games and 1995 Pan American Games. His career culminated with an Olympic gold medal… [Full Bio, Videos, Photos]
Wayne Chester
Chester is a native of Fort Worth and attended Arlington Heights High School. As a teenager, he was discovered by Fort Worth diving legend Cal Loock at the Ridglea country club and encouraged to join the Panther Boys Club, where he became one the best age group divers in Texas history… [Full Bio, Videos, Photos]
Austin DeLong
DeLong is a Texas native who graduated from Cypress Creek High School in 2007. Notable high school accolades include four appearances in the water polo state finals, winning twice; three-time selection to first team all-state; and winning state MVP his senior year. He later attended the University of the Pacific where he was a four-year starter, team captain as a senior, academic all-American, and led the team to an eventual top-five ranking during the 2010 season… [Full Bio, Videos, Photos]
Bryan Jones
A native of College Station, Texas, Jones was an outstanding age group swimmer for the Aggie Swim Club and Bob Leland where he won multiple TAGS championships. He was a high school all-American and a two-time Texas state high school champion. Under Eddie Reese and Kris Kubik at the University of Texas, Jones was a 15-time Big XII champion, five-time NCAA champion, and a 22-time all-American. He served as team captain of the 2000 Longhorn’s NCAA Championship team… [Full Bio, Videos, Photos]
Susan Spice Nelms
Spice Nelms is a native Texan, born in 1937 in San Antonio. She excelled at a very young age coached by Jack Tolar with the San Antonio Aquatic Club. She won every Texas age group breaststroke title from the age of 9 to 14. At the age of 12 she was the youngest competitor at the U.S. nationals and finished sixth in the 100-meter breaststroke. [Full Bio, Videos, Photos]
Lifetime Achievement:
Roger Graham
Colonel, Dr. Roger Graham, USAF, Ret. was certified as an AAU deck official in Ohio in the early 1970s, then under USS and still today under USA Swimming. He conceived and was the motivation behind the development of what is believed to be the first practical horn start system in 1974. The system was used at both the Junior and Senior Nationals in 1975 - the beginning of the end for starting guns… [Full Bio, Videos, Photos]
Wally Pryor Distinguished Team:
Fort Worth
Fort Worth area swimmers and divers have excelled in the state of Texas as well as nationally and internationally for almost a century. Early stars include Bob Tarlton in the ‘30s, world record holder Jane Dillard in the ‘40s and the pioneer of Texas diving, Carl Loock, who set the pace for teams, coaches, and athletes to shine. Roy and Lilian Knipe, along with the Loocks, got things going in the ‘40s, recruiting talent from around the city pools and lakes, including the Burger’s Lake 6-meter-high board. This led to the Ridglea Pool Association Team of the ‘50s, which migrated and integrated into the new indoor pool at Panther Boy’s Club (PBC). The resultant PBC swimming and diving team became one of the state’s top powerhouses of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Carl, Edith, Cal, Vicki and Christine Loock, Don Easterling, Doug Russell, Rick Nesbit, Ronnie Mills, William Paulus and Wayne Chester along with the Malone, Speight, Evans, Brouse, Riddell and Capper families, and many more TAGS and high school all-Americans had a part in the PBC dynasty of this era. The Frog Aquatic Swim Team (FAST) coached by Rufe Brewton grew into another strong team in the ‘70s and included stars Steve Wood and Chuck Burr. Several other Fort Worth area teams were established after 1975, including The FW Swim Club, Water Works and Tarrant County Aquatics, with coach Lucky Foreman and star swimmer Jennie Doolan. The Fort Worth Area Swim Team was established in 1989 by Scott Colby. Ron Forrest headed up the team from 1996-2000; he coached numerous champions including Olympic gold medalist Dana Vollmer. Nationally ranked Sigma Aquatics is now in operation in the Fort Worth area offering swimming, diving, and water polo.
