SMSU Athletics Hall of Honor
Jim Norton (1974-78) was a valuable member of the swimming & diving program for four seasons and helped the Mustangs maintain its dominance in the Northern Intercollegiate Conference and among the best in NAIA.
A native of White Bear Lake, Minn., Norton was a member of four Northern Intercollegiate Conference championship teams. He earned All-NIC honors four years (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978) as a mid-distance freestyler and was a two-year team captain.
Norton was the NIC 200-yard freestyle champion in 1975 and anchored the NIC record setting 800-yard freestyle relay. In 1976, Norton was part of the 800-yard freestyle relay team that earned NAIA All-American honors by placing that fourth at the NAIA Championships. The 800-yard freestyle relay team earned NAIA All-American honors again in 1977 placing seventh overall at the NAIA Championships, while in 1978 the 800-yard freestyle team finished 12th at the NAIA Championships.
Norton, who was elected to the NIC Hall of Fame in 1990, was named SMSU’s ‘Most Improved’ athlete in 1975 and ‘Most Inspirational’ in 1976, following his come from behind victory anchoring the 800-yard freestyle relay which inspired the team to its fourth NIC championship.
Norton was a member Mustang teams that placed 11th, 6th, 8th and 12th at the NAIA Championships. SMSU hosted the NAIA Championships three times during his career.
