Missouri S&T Coach Doug Grooms Announces Retirement
Missouri S&T head swim coach Doug Grooms announced his retirement on Monday after 24 seasons leading the Miners.
Grooms was hired before the 1998-99 season. He’s led Missouri S&T to three top-four finishes at the NCAA Division II Championships. His retirement is effective April 30.
“When Jim Anderson and Mark Mullin gave me an opportunity to join the UMR staff in 1992, I never could have imagined that I would be announcing my retirement 30 years later from the Miner athletic department,” Grooms said in a university statement. “It has been such an amazing experience helping develop the men that have come through our program. Each year was a new challenge that led to conference champions, as well as NCAA champions.”
Grooms has led the Miners to 14 top-10 finishes at NCAAs. They were fourth in 2007, runner-up in 2008 and third in 2009. Grooms has coached 90 swimmers who have yielded a total of 370 All-America awards under his tutelage, including six national titles. He was named the CSCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 2008.
Grooms is a 13-time conference coach of the year. He was the 1999 Coach of the Year at the Mideast Swimming Championships in 1999, one of nine conference titles.
“Doug is a highly respected coach in the swimming industry and at S&T,” Missouri S&T director of athletics Melissa Ringhausen said. “He knew how to recruit and retain the right type of student-athlete that was going to excel at S&T. Under his leadership, the swimming team has had a rich tradition of success in both the pool and in the classroom. He has committed his life to developing young men and the impact goes way beyond any words expressed. He will be greatly missed by the student-athletes, alumni, and his colleagues. We wish him well as he enters this next phase of life.”
Grooms served as an assistant coach for six seasons before taking the top job. He also was an assistant for the Missouri S&T football team.
Congrats Doug on a great coaching career. I always enjoyed talking with you on the pool deck. I hope that you enjoy your retirement