Bob Rueppel

Rueppel, a 1983 graduate of St. Bonaventure University in Olean, N.Y. and a native of New Jersey, compiled a record of 22-44 in men’s dual meets and 36-31 in women’s dual meets in his six seasons. The men’s team won just one dual meet the year Rueppel arrived but put together back-to-back seven-win seasons the last two years. Likewise, the women’s team has posted seven dual wins in three of the last four seasons.

Rueppel was named 2001 North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for both men’s and women’s swimming & diving after guiding the two teams to identical 7-4 records in duals and fourth-place finishes in the NCAC Championships. The NCAC is unquestionably the most competitive conference in the nation, as evidenced again in 2001 by a national title by the Kenyon men and a one-two NCAA finish by the Denison and Kenyon women, respectively.

Wittenberg had its finest finish ever at the 2001 NCAA Division III championship meet. Four men and four women qualified for the event, the most in school history, and all eight made at least honorable mention All-America status. The women amassed a school-record point total of 36, while the men posted 33 points for one of their best finishes ever.

At the meet, senior Aaron Edsall became just the second Wittenberg swimmer to earn All-America honors four straight years. The other was Julien Lazarus, who also was coached by Rueppel and graduated in 1999. In just six years, Rueppel coached half of the All-Americans in Wittenberg men’s and women’s swimming & diving history. In addition, almost every school record has been re-set during his time at Wittenberg.

Before coaching at Wittenberg, Rueppel was the head age group coach and assistant men’s and women’s swimming coach at Wright State University and the Dayton Raiders Swim Club. Prior to that, he was the head women’s coach at St. Bonaventure from 1983-89. He makes the move with his wife, Anne, and daughters, Katie and Colleen.