DAVIS, Calif. -- The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America announced 973 candidates for its centennial list of 100 Greatest Swimmers and Divers, and a total of seven Aggie alumni are listed among the hopefuls. Alphabetically, the UC Davis nominees are Tea Austin, Dan Camilli, Steve Jackson, John Keppeler, Anna Pettis, Vernon Rogers and Kristi Wheeler.
All seven Aggie nominees are former NCAA Division II champions who are now enshrined in the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame.
Austin won a total of 23 All-America awards in his career from 1997 to 2001, and claimed national championships in the 100-yard freestyle (2001) and 100-yard backstroke (2000, 2001). Camilli won three straight 100 butterfly titles from 1978 through 1980, and added a 50 free crown in 1979. Jackson, the lone Aggie diver on the list, claimed the 1-meter championship in 1973 then added a title on the 3-meter board a year later.
Keppeler went undefeated throughout his two-year career, winning 10 NCAA championships (eight individual, two relays) while setting national records in the 200 free, 100 and 200 back, and 200 individual medley. Anna Pettis claimed three 50 free titles from 1982-1985, and led off two more national championships in the 200 free relay. Rogers won five NCAA freestyle championships from 1982 to 1985, part of his haul of 17 total All-America awards. Wheeler claimed back-to-back 100 fly titles plus the 200 IM title in 1987, and matched Pettis' total of 18 All-America finishes.
A panel of CSCAA voters will begin reducing the list to 100 honorees for both the men's and women's categories. A full list of candidates is available at the link above.
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