The 1976 Men’s Swim Team: NCAA Champions 

“UNBELIEVABLE! UNBELIEVABLE! UNBELIEVABLE!” went the chant that roared through the crowds in Henry Memorial Center Pool at Washington & Jefferson College on March 20, 1976. 

The words were accurate: the unthinkable had just occurred in the second annual Division III NCAA swimming & diving championship meet. St. Lawrence University, a small liberal arts school in the depths of the North Country, traditionally known for hockey, certainly not swimming, had performed a miracle on melted ice that sent shock waves through the collegiate sports world. The young men, a part of that team–only nine of them represented at the championship meet–cemented their legacies as some of the most admirable athletes in the school’s history, and will eternally be remembered for bringing home the school’s first team NCAA national championship victory. 

Why was this event a miracle? Who were these swimmers? And why should we remember March 20, 1976, as one of the greatest athletic achievements in St. Lawrence’s history? 

This article will relive the day that history was made in the water by nine St. Lawrence swimmers and a phenomenal coach who made his prospects into champions. That day had a profound impact on the rest of their lives and on the school’s legacy, and is more than worthy of telling. 

This story begins in 1970, when the St. Lawrence swim team was founded with zero swimmers, zero budget and no pool. It was led by a generational coach and an even more legendary man named Scott Woodburn. He was once an All-American swimmer at Southern Connecticut State College and was a coach for the Potsdam State University swim team. Having high expectations and a fierce ambition, Woodburn was hired as the head coach of the swim team before the pool in Augsbury was even built. This sense of ‘underdog’ mentality defined Woodburn and St. Lawrence’s early success, as the program had very little to recruit swimmers with, and was at a large disadvantage compared to powerhouse teams. Yet Woodburn would defy the odds. 

“He saw potential greatness in everyone he recruited; he was very special in that way,” said John Clark, former St. Lawrence Athletic Director and lifetime friend of Woodburn. 

Famously, Woodburn was relentlessly hard on his athletes and was known for calling swimmers’ roommates at 6:00 a.m. if they had not reported to practice. This meeting would not even be the only practice of the day. 

It was that kind of recruiting and hard training that brought him a plethora of talented athletes and turned them into All-Americans. In 1975, the year before the championship victory, St. Lawrence placed seventh nationally in the inaugural NCAA Division III championship season. In this season, Woodburn coached five swimmers to All-American status, three of whom would be returning to the water for the 1976 season. 

Russell Jones ’78 and John Keller ’78 were the only All-Americans to not return to the team the following year, leaving a talented core with strong recruits to compete in the 1975-1976 season. The team in this season was captained by Jim Brush ’76 and Scott Frame ’76, both of whom were All-Americans the year prior. 

“We didn’t brag, we were unknowns. But we worked really hard, and that pays off,” said Brush. 

That hard work was evident during the season. St. Lawrence dominated in dual meets, finishing the season 10-2, with dominant wins over good programs like the University of Vermont and Hamilton. Their only losses came at the hands of Division I competition, Colgate, and Syracuse. 

Wrapping up the season, Brush, Frame, and seven other St. Lawrence swimmers qualified for the NCAA Championship Meet in late March of 1976. Gary Weischedel ’79 was a force in the 200-yard butterfly, along with several other freestyle distances. A sophomore, Monty Bauer ’78, was one of the best distance swimmers in the country. One of the better swimmers in this group, however, as admitted by Weischedel, was Jeff Cook ’78. 

“There is no question who was the most unbelievable athlete. Jeff Cook, no doubt… physical specimen… tough mentally… he had a six pack before it was popular,” said Weischedel. 

Even with these swimmers and several other impeccable athletes, St. Lawrence was still a fierce underdog in the second-ever NCAA Division III Championship Meet. 

Nevertheless, it was the team’s utmost confidence that propelled them forward. The Saints saw they had many swimmers seeded in the top five or even top three in many events. 

In the 50 years after this extraordinary win, the first of St. Lawrence University’s history, the school has continued this excellence, winning several more national championships across its athletic departments. It should not be forgotten that these Saints set a precedent five decades ago, and the challenges they overcame to achieve greatness. Greatness achieved in the unbelievable.