After runner-up finishes the previous two years, the North Central College men’s swimming team returned to the top of the podium at the NAIA National Championships in 1961, igniting a run of three straight national titles to become the first team to place first at the meet in consecutive seasons.
With a trio of competitors in the 1960 Summer Olympics (Dick Blick ’62, Ruben Roca ’62 and Raul Martin ’62) on the roster, the squad coached by Dr. Eggert Giere ‘48 set six NAIA records at the 1961 championship in Detroit, Michigan, scoring 111 points to finish well clear of Detroit Institute of Technology’s runner-up total of 78.
Blick led the way with victories in the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events, tying the record he set in 1959 for individual titles at a single championship. Blick would share the record until 2022. Also claiming individual titles were Vince Tolentino in the 50-yard freestyle, Roca in the 1,650-yard freestyle and Byron Ware in the 100-yard breaststroke, while Tolentino also teamed with Richard Leckband ‘66, Rodolfo Roca ’64 and Henry Dieringer ‘62 to win the 400-yard freestyle relay. Blick would go on to set an American record in the 220-yard freestyle at that year’s NCAA Championships in Seattle, Washington.
Roster: First Row: George Swift, Raul Martin, Jock Wiglama, Roger Kiekhofer, Byron Ware, Vince Tolentino, Phil Robb, Jerry De St. Paer. Second Row: Ralph Seeger (manager), Bruce Nitsche, Jim Hickman, Rodolfo Roca, Wayne Schimpf, Joel Junks, Allan Robb, Edward Gay, Bill Humphreys; Third Row: Eggert Giere (head coach), Pete Tworoger, Hank Dieringer, Dick Blick, Roger Stevens, Bruce Gamber, Ruben Roca, Jack Steck. Not pictured: John Molitor (assistant coach)
