SMSU Athletics

The 1972-73 swimming & diving team captured the University’s first-ever Northern Intercollegiate Conference championship in any sport and marked a turning point as the swimming program achieved unprecedented success and set the foundation for years of dominance.

Under the direction of head coach, Don Palm, the team opened the season placing second at the University of Minnesota Relays before dominating the dual meet season finishing with a 15-6 record with four of the losses to NCAA Division I programs. 

Competing at the NIC Championships in Bemidji, Minn., the Mustangs were able to dethrone Bemidji State and win the league crown. The Mustangs picked up 10 first place finishes at the championship, including wins in three relays. In all, SMSU set four conference records and tied one in individual events while setting three new marks in the relays. The Mustangs scored in every event earning 627 points with BSU in second place closing with 572 points. 

Dave Broyles led the Mustang performances with three victories in individual events and participating on two winning relay teams. He tied a league record in the 500 freestyle, set a record in the 200 freestyle and won the 1,650 freestyle. Steve Larson won two individual events, both with conference record setting times. Mike Fallon set a conference record in the 200 butterfly, while Randy Brezina captured first in the 100 freestyle and was a member of all three record setting relay teams. 

Dean Hawks, Larson, Brian Luke and Brezina were members of the record setting 400 medley relay team, while Kevin Tripp, Greg Higdem, Brezina and Broyles won the 800 freestyle relay. Tom Moehn and Denny Dayhuff teamed with Broyles and Brezina to win and set the NIC record in the 400 freestyle. 

Following the conference meet, a total of 14 athletes competed at the NAIA Championships in Pittsburg, Kan. SMSU placed 25th nationally, tallying five team points with Dayhuff earning the points with an eighth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle. SMSU swimmers ended in 13th place six times at the meet with top 12 finishes earning team points. SMSU’s two relay teams also both finished in 13th place. 

The season’s success showcased the team’s competitive spirit on the national stage and was the start of a remarkable era, as it led to five consecutive conference championships for the program. SMSU would also go on to earn 16th, 11th, 6th, 8th, 12th and 8th place national finishes at NAIA meets over the next six seasons.