Billy Ray Schmidt-2013

Billy Ray Schmidt was a diver for the University of Georgia’s Swimming & Diving Team from 1962-1966. Schmidt’s diving career began in Albany, Georgia in 1959. During his collegiate career, Schmidt won the SEC 3-meter diving championship three times and the 1-meter championship twice. Schmidt began coaching in 1964 for his hometown team in Albany. From 1968 to 1970, Schmidt coached swimming for the U.S. Army at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Most of his coaching career was spent as the diving coach at Westminster Schools in Atlanta from 1970 until 1992. While at Westminster, Schmidt coached 31 high school All-American athletes and coached two USA Diving National champions. He also served as the president and head coach of the Atlanta Diving Association. Schmidt was inducted into the Albany Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Billy Ray Schmidt passed away in 2006.

Career Highlights

• 5 SEC Championship diving titles
• Coached 31 high school All-Americans
• Coached two USA Diving National Champions

Curtis Lovejoy-2013

Curtis Lovejoy is a multi-sport Paralympian (swimming and fencing) who has participated in five Paralympic Games from 1996-2012. Lovejoy began swimming at age 29 after a car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. After just a year and a half, Lovejoy began breaking records in the pool. Since the start of Lovejoy’s Paralympic experience, he has won 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal in swimming at the Games. Lovejoy has represented the United States in 5 swimming World Championships from 1994-2010. In 2000, Lovejoy was named Male Athlete of the Year prior to the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

Lovejoy not only continues to compete, but also helps coach the Shepherd Sharks.

Career Highlights

• 2012 USA Paralympic Team
• 2008 USA Paralympic Team
• 2004 USA Paralympic Team silver, and bronze medalist
• 2000 USA Paralympic Team 2x gold medalist
• 1996 USA Paralympic Team 2x gold and silver medalist
• 2010 World Championships 3x gold, silver, and bronze medalist
• 2006 World Championships 2x gold, 2x silver, 2x bronze medalist
• 2002 World Championships 3x gold and 2x silver medalist
• 1998 World Championships 3x gold and 2x silver medalist
• 1994 World Championships 3x gold medalist
• Paralympic, World, American, and Pan-Am Record holder

David Larson-2013

David Larson is a 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the 4x200m freestyle relay. Originally from Jesup, Georgia, Larson swam for Bolles in Jacksonville, Florida until 1977. He went on to swim for the University of Florida where he earned two NCAA championship titles in 1979 and 1981 as part of relays. As a Gator, Larson was an American Record and NCAA Record holder with his 4x200m freestyle relay teammates. Larson was selected for two Pan-Pacific teams (1979 and 1983), and made two Olympic teams but only competed in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles due to the USA’s boycott in 1980. During the 1984 Olympic Games, Larson became an Olympic gold medalist as a member of the World Record-breaking 4x200m freestyle relay with Mike Heath, Jeff Float, and Bruce Hayes. Larson has also been inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.

Career Highlights

• 1984 USA Olympic Team gold medalist
• 1979 Pan-Pacific gold and silver medalist
• 1983 Pan-Pacific gold medalist
• 21x NCAA All-American
• American and World Record Holder

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Kristy Kowal-2013

Kristy Kowal represented Team USA in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia where she earned a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke. As a breaststroke specialist, Kowal was also the first American woman to break one minute in the 100 breaststroke. Originally a Pennsylvania native, Kowal attended the University of Georgia where she was part of two Bulldog NCAA National Championship teams. Kowal has been named NCAA Swimmer of the Year (1999 and 2000), NCAA Woman of the Year (2000), and a recipient of Today’s Top VIII Award (2001), an honor bestowed on eight senior student-athletes each year. Since then, she has been inducted into the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame (2009), the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame (2010), and University of Georgia’s Circle of Honor (2012).

Kowal is currently an elementary teacher in Pennsylvania. She remains involved in the swimming world through Swim Across America and Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinics.

Career Highlights

• 2000 USA Olympic Team silver medalist
• 1998 World Championship gold and silver medalist
• 2001 World Championship silver medalist
• 1997 Pan-Pacific gold and bronze medalist
• 1999 Pan-Pacific silver and bronze medalist
• 2002 Pan-Pacific bronze medalist
• 24x NCAA All-American
• American and World Record Holder

Courtney (Shealy) Hart-2013

Courtney (Shealy) Hart is currently the head coach of the Georgia Tech Men’s and Women’s Swimming Team. Hart is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist who represented Team USA at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She medaled in the 4x100m medley relay and the 4x100m freestyle relay. As a collegiate swimmer for the University of Georgia, Hart was part of two Bulldog NCAA Championship titles in 1999 and 2000. Also in 2000, Hart was named NCAA Female Swimmer of the Year after her individual championship wins in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, and 100m backstroke. Hart represented the United States on the international stage as a member of the World Championship (2001), Pan-American Games (1999 and 2003), Pan-Pacific Games (2002), and United States World Cup Teams (2000-2004).

Not only did Hart excel in the pool at UGA, she also played volleyball for the Bulldogs from 1997 to 1999. In 1998, she was named the volleyball team’s most valuable player. Hart was the first NCAA Division I female student-athlete to compete in two sports on the same day, accomplishing that feat three times while at Georgia.

Career Highlights

• 2000 USA Olympic Team 2x gold medalist
• 2003 Pan-American Team 2x gold and silver medalist
• 2001 World Championship 2x silver medalist
• 26x All-American
• 9 SEC Conference titles
• SEC Conference Record Holder