HEAD COACH DAVE FRITZ

A 1994 Grove City College graduate, Dave Fritz is in his sixth season as Grove City College's head men's swimming and diving coach. Under his direction, Grove City has returned to the national spotlight as one of the nation's premier small-college programs.

In 2006-07, two Grove City swimmers earned NCAA Division III championships as Tim Whitbeck won the national title in the 50 free and Caleb Courage repeated as national champion in the 100 free. Their efforts helped Grove City place ninth nationally at the NCAA Championships, the program's best-ever finish at the Division III Championships.

A total of seven Grove City swimmers have earned NCAA All-America honors during his tenure as head coach. In 2006, Courage became Grove City's first men's swimmer to earn a national title. Grove City placed 13th as a team at the NCAA Championships that season.

Fritz has guided Grove City to a 42-13 overall dual-meet record, including a College-record 15 victories during the 2006-07 season. In 2006-07, Grove City posted victories over eventual NCAA Division III champion Kenyon, perennial power Case Western Reserve, NCAA Division I institution Butler and archrival Westminster.

In his second season as head coach, 2003-04, Fritz guided Grove City to the Presidents' Athletic Conference championship, along with a 6-3 dual-meet record. He has helped Grove City extend its streak of consecutive winning seasons to 56.

Fritz returned to his alma mater after seven successful seasons as the head boys swimming and diving coach at Chartiers Valley High School in Bridgeville, Pa., a suburb of Pittsburgh. In that time, Fritz compiled a 67-24-1 (.734) record as the Colts' head coach and also won a pair of section titles. He also coached 29 swimmers who qualified for the state championships.

Fritz is a member of the American Swim Coaches Association and has served as a collegiate and scholastic water polo official.

Fritz is also head coach of Grove City's women's water polo squads. In the spring of 2002, Fritz directed the women's team to a 7-11 mark after taking over on an interim basis. In 2007, Fritz led the women's water polo team to a program-record 18 victories and a fifth-place finish at the Collegiate III National Championships. Four Grove City players have earned All-America honors under his guidance.

He owns master's degrees from both Duquesne University and Slippery Rock University. Fritz lives in Slippery Rock with his wife Tammy, daughters Emily and Mary, and son Hayden.

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