Andy Coan
Encyclopedia
Andrew B. "Andy" Coan (born Fort Lauderdale
, Florida
) is an American
former freestyle
swimmer
.
In 1975, at 17 years of age, while representing Pine Crest High School
at an Amateur Athletic Union
swimming meet, he broke Jim Montgomery's 12-day old 100 metre freestyle world record.
Later that year, under the coaching of Jack Nelson, Coan won three gold medals at the 1975 FINA World Championships
in Cali
, Colombia
. He won two part of the United States 4 x 100 metre freestyle and 4 x 100 metre medley relay teams and won his the third in 100 metre freestyle event.
He continued his winning run at the 1975 United States National Swimming Championships, where he won a gold medal in the 100 yards freestyle event.
After graduation from Pine Crest in 1976, Coan attended the University of Tennessee
on a swimming scholarship. Here, his dominance of freestyle swimming continued, as he won seven NCAA
National Championships, winning the 50 and the 100 freestyle twice. He was also a member of four University of Tennessee 4 x 100 freestyle relay NCAA Championship teams, and won the 200 freestyle. Coan broke four American records while at University of Tennessee - the 50, 100, 200 and the 4x50 freestyle relay. In 1978, his sophomore year, he led the Tennessee Volunteers to the NCAA Championship and was named the university's Athlete of the Year. Andy is now a coach at Pine Crest's rival team, Saint Andrews of Boca Raton working with Coach Sid Cassidy.
Coan was inducted into Pine Crest High School's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
.
In 1975, at 17 years of age, while representing Pine Crest High School
Pine Crest School
Pine Crest School is a private college preparatory school with campuses in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in Fort Lauderdale in 1934 by Mae McMillan who began as a tutor to children of families spending the winter in South Florida, USA. In 1995, Dr. Lourdes Cowgill became...
at an Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
swimming meet, he broke Jim Montgomery's 12-day old 100 metre freestyle world record.
Later that year, under the coaching of Jack Nelson, Coan won three gold medals at the 1975 FINA World Championships
1975 World Aquatics Championships
The 1975 World Aquatics Championships took place in Cali, Colombia between July 19 and July 27, 1975, with 682 participating athletes.- Medals table :-Diving:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen-Synchronised swimming:-Water polo:Men...
in Cali
Santiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. He won two part of the United States 4 x 100 metre freestyle and 4 x 100 metre medley relay teams and won his the third in 100 metre freestyle event.
He continued his winning run at the 1975 United States National Swimming Championships, where he won a gold medal in the 100 yards freestyle event.
After graduation from Pine Crest in 1976, Coan attended the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
on a swimming scholarship. Here, his dominance of freestyle swimming continued, as he won seven NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
National Championships, winning the 50 and the 100 freestyle twice. He was also a member of four University of Tennessee 4 x 100 freestyle relay NCAA Championship teams, and won the 200 freestyle. Coan broke four American records while at University of Tennessee - the 50, 100, 200 and the 4x50 freestyle relay. In 1978, his sophomore year, he led the Tennessee Volunteers to the NCAA Championship and was named the university's Athlete of the Year. Andy is now a coach at Pine Crest's rival team, Saint Andrews of Boca Raton working with Coach Sid Cassidy.
Coan was inducted into Pine Crest High School's Athletic Hall of Fame.