Minnesota’s Dennis Dale Earns 2024 CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award
Minnesota head coach Dennis Dale has been named the 2024 recipient of the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award is selected by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America executive board. It recognizes, “individuals whose efforts best exemplify the integrity and ideals of collegiate swimming and who has achieved significant success in the sport while imparting the educational and character-building qualities of the collegiate swimming experience.”
Dale was an All-American swimmer at Minnesota in 1967. He was hired by his alma mater in 1985, serving until 2014. The six-time Big Ten Coach of the Year led the Golden Gophers to seven Big Ten titles, including a 1996 title that was the first in 70 years.
In Dale’s final 26 seasons, Minnesota never finished worse than fourth at Big Tens. They placed in the top 10 five straight years from 2000-04. He coached 48 individual Big Ten champions and 38 relays crowns.
Dale moved on to be an associate head coach at Indiana University from 2014-17, overseeing a spring program that included Olympian Blake Pieroni.
“Dennis Dale has distinguished himself as one of the greatest Big Ten men’s swimming coaches of all time,” Indiana head coach Ray Looze said in a press release. “He won the Big Ten men’s team title 7 times and was the Big Ten Coach of the Year 6 times. When we hired Dennis in 2014, sprinting was the greatest weakness for the Indiana program. All that changed with Dennis in year one and far more importantly we have continued to have one of the strongest sprint groups in the NCAA as a lasting legacy to Coach Dale. He has etched his legacy, not just in victories, but in the lives he’s touched and the champions he’s molded. His dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence have made waves beyond measure. Congratulations to Dennis Dale on receiving the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award!”
Dale will be honored at the CSCAA College Swimming and Diving Awards on May 6 at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis. Other recipients of the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award can be found here.
“Dennis Dale’s dedication to excellence in coaching has not only shaped champions in the pool but also inspired generations of coaches,” CSCAA executive director Samantha Barany said. “His pursuit of excellence is evident by the accolades he has earned along his coaching journey – none of those accolades as impressive as the number of swimmers and peers he has had the opportunity to positively impact. As he receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from the CSCAA, Dennis Dale reminds us that perseverance and mentorship can leave an indelible mark on the world of swimming and diving. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor.”
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with the CSCAA. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.