Bob Groseth returns for his 19th season after leading the Wildcats to their best finish at the NCAA Championships in the modern era, and their fourth-consecutive top-11 or better national finish. In the past three years under Groseth, Northwestern has won five NCAA titles. Northwestern currently is one of the most exciting programs on the national stage, and is enjoying success unparalled since the Wildcats earned a quartet of national championships in the 1920's and '30's. In 2007, Northwestern won three NCAA Championships, set two NCAA records and finished in sixth place as a team to record the best finish for the Wildcats in the modern era. At the Big Ten Championships, Northwestern won 10 individual conference titles, nearly double the total of its next competitor. Groseth was named 2007 Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons. In 2006, all four of Northwestern's participating relays at the NCAA Championships qualified for the championship heats for the first time ever to lead the Wildcats to a 10th-place team finish, and senior Matt Grevers won his second-straight NCAA title in the 100 back. Those accomplishments came on the heels of an eighth-place showing in 2005. Groseth was tabbed NCAA Co- and Big Ten Coach of the Year following the 2005 campaign. In the past four seasons, Groseth's teams have produced a staggering 94 All-America honors. In 2005, Grevers won the national title in the 100 back, and Mike Alexandrov picked up a silver and bronze medal in the two breaststroke events--NU's first NCAA medals since 1958. In 33 seasons as a collegiate head coach, he has produced more than 60 swimmers who have participated at the NCAA Championships, including world record-setter Scott McCadam, World Games gold medalist Eric Hansen, four-time World Games medalist Grevers and NCAA record holders Grevers, Alexandrov, Bruno Barbic and Kyle Bubolz. Northwestern has won an incredible 29 Big Ten championships over the last four seasons under Groseth, averaging more than seven per season. In 2005 alone the 'Cats produced seven Big Ten champions--the most of any conference school. In addition to four individual titles, NU's 200 free and 400 medley relays set Big Ten records en route to championships, while the 200 medley relay also earned a title. The Wildcats repeated that feat in 2006, this time getting individual titles in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 back from Grevers, a crown in the 100 fly from Kyle Bubolz and a gold in the 200 breast from Alexandrov. In the relays, the 'Cats captured titles in the 200 free and 400 medley to make it a total of seven for the second-straight year. In 2007, Northwestern blew away that total with 10 Big Ten championships, nearly doubling the total of the next-best school (Michigan with six). Groseth has long been a respected coach on the national level. In 1992, he instructed some of the nation's top distance swimmers at the U.S. national distance camp. In 1993, he took the U.S. Junior National Team to compete in Paris, France, and in 2007 was an assistant coach with the USA's World University Games team. In 2003, he was the recipient of the American Swimming Coaches Association "Bob Ousley" Award for contributions to the sport of swimming. Following the 2001-02 season, Groseth was honored as the recipient of the Richard E. Steadman Award by the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). Prior to coming to Northwestern, Groseth coached 10 seasons at Iowa State University, compiling a 46-42 dual-meet record. Under his tutelage, 16 Cyclone swimmers combined to win 41 Big Eight Conference championships. Groseth twice earned Big Eight Coach of the Year accolades. Groseth began his coaching career in 1974 at Cincinnati, where he compiled a 21-9 record in three seasons. In 1977, he left for Tulane, where he led the Green Wave to a 4-6 dual-meet mark and second place at the Metro Seven Championship. A Hinsdale, Ill., native, Groseth attended Hinsdale Township High School before enrolling at Indiana University, where he served as a student-assistant coach. Groseth accepted his first coaching position at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill., where his teams won seven consecutive Catholic League titles in addition to four National Catholic Championships. During his stay at Fenwick, Groseth produced 28 All-America swimmers. In 1982, he was inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame. Groseth earned bachelor's degrees in history and physical education from Indiana in 1967. He resides in Evanston. |
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