?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> ?xml-model href="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SAA-SDT/EAD3/master/ead3.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"?> RG21.16 Athletics Department. Swimming and Diving Records Processed by Stephanie Bennett with assistance from Ashelee Gerald Hill Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives PO Box 7777 Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109 336 758-5755 http://zsr.wfu.edu/special/ 2022 RG21.16 Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives English L/languagedeclaration> dacs Describing Archives: A Content Standard completed 2025-08-11T15:54:42-04:00 ArchivesSpace v4.1.1 This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on Monday August 11, 2025 at 15:54 Athletics Department. Swimming and Diving Records RG21.16 /repositories/2/resources/1778 Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives English 18.22 Linear Feet 5 oversize boxes, 3 artifact boxes, 1 record carton, 1 document box, 2 trophies 1957 1981 circa 1957-1981 WFU's Swimming and Diving team was in existence from 1956 until 1980, when Athletic Director Gene Hooks cancelled the program. This collection documents the team and individual athletes. Materials include brochures, letters, programs, photographs, medals, trophies, and team clothing. Historical Note WFU's swimming and diving team began around the time of coach and physical education professor Leo Ellison's hiring in 1956. Across his time as coach, Ellison coached all men's and co-ed teams after women arrived on campus. Ellison also took students on coaching trips - to Cairo, Egypt, in 1966, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and in the 1970s several trips to Mexico. Ellison left his swim coach post in 1978 and became the head of intramural sports while retaining his teaching duties. Tom Alm took on coaching duties of the swimming team in 1978. As a result of Title IX reforms on campus, and in acknowledgement that WFU's pool facilities were not high-quality, Athletic Director Gene Hooks removed the varsity team in 1980, to the protests of the team's athletes and others. Ellison passed away in 2015. Andrew (Drew) Taylor is from Charlotte, N.C., and earned a bachelor's degree in history at Wake Forest (1966) while on the swimming and diving team. According to WFU Athletics Department, Taylor's five individual ACC titles is the fourth-most in Wake Forest history of any athlete, and Taylor is the only Deacon swimmer or diver to win an ACC Championship. Taylor attended UNC Chapel Hill for law school (1966-1969) and coached their diving team. Taylor served as a legal officer in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971 and was awarded a Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement for his service. He has worked as an attorney in Charlotte in more recent years. Nicholas (Chip) Bach earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry (1975) from WFU. Thomas (Tom) Laraway earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry (1980) and, in addition to being on the swimming and diving team, was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Laraway, along with swimmers Ron Cobb (1980), Jim Kusel (1980) and Andy Hudnell (1983) participated in the program's final event, the 1980 ACC Championship 400 freestyle relay. Sources: "Drew Taylor Inducted Into Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame Class Of 2020," . Available online . "Leo Ellison Interview," 175th Anniversary Oral Histories Collection, Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives. Available in Digital Collections . "WF swim team protests demise," Old Gold and Black, 1980 September 26. Available in Digital Collections . Available in Digital Collections Collection Overview This collection documents WFU's swimming and diving team, in existence from 1956-1980, and its individual athletes. Materials include brochures, letters, programs, photographs, medals, trophies, and team clothing. Preferred Citation Athletics Department. Swimming and Diving Records (RG21.16), Z. Smith Reynolds Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Access Restrictions This collection is open for research. Copyright Notice The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. Swimmer and team materials /repositories/2/archival_objects/173700 1957 1981 circa 1957-1981 Alm, Thomas (Tom), head-coach announcement /repositories/2/archival_objects/173701 circa 1977 1 1 Annual booklets, brochures, and All-Sports Banquet program /repositories/2/archival_objects/173702 1976 1980 1 2 Bach, Nicholas (Chip), news clippings, team brochures, and programs, framed, with memorabilia diagram /repositories/2/archival_objects/173726 1971 1975 circa 1971-1975 9 10 Bach, Nicholas (Chip), senior letterman plaque /repositories/2/archival_objects/173703 circa 1975 1 3 Bach, Nicholas (Chip), trophy: Most Valuable Swimmer /repositories/2/archival_objects/173704 1972 1973 4 1 Bach, Nicholas (Chip), trophy: Most Valuable Swimmer /repositories/2/archival_objects/173705 1973 1974 5 1 Laraway, Thomas, photographs and student materials /repositories/2/archival_objects/173706 1979 2009 circa 1979, 2000s 1 4 Laraway, Thomas, scholarship letters /repositories/2/archival_objects/173707 1977 1 5 News clippings and article /repositories/2/archival_objects/173708 1977 1981 1 6 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), ACC award for excellence in scholarship and athletics /repositories/2/archival_objects/173710 1966 6 2 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), swimming and diving medals and patches from Junior Olympics /repositories/2/archival_objects/173712 1957 1962 circa 1957-1962 8 1 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), swimming and diving medals from Wake Forest, ACC, Olympic Development, U.S. Army /repositories/2/archival_objects/173713 1960 1972 circa 1960-1972 7 3 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), trophy: Monogram Club Most Valuable Swimmer /repositories/2/archival_objects/173715 1965 1 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), trophy: Monogram Club Most Valuable Swimmer /repositories/2/archival_objects/173716 1966 2 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), U.S. Army 68th Medical Group plaque from Vietnam /repositories/2/archival_objects/173709 1970 1971 1970 July-1971 June 7 1 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), U.S. Army Medical Service Corps Bronze Star Medal and pins /repositories/2/archival_objects/173711 1971 7 2 Taylor, Andrew (Drew), Who's Who of Students in American Universities and Colleges notice, framed /repositories/2/archival_objects/173714 1965 1966 6 1 Workouts and swim times /repositories/2/archival_objects/173717 1977 1980 1 7 Team memorabilia /repositories/2/archival_objects/173718 1975 1980 circa 1975-1980 3 ACC championships medals: 200 IM, 100 BA, and 400 medley relay /repositories/2/archival_objects/173725 1975 1980 circa 1975-1980 3 6 Scope and Contents Donated by Nicholas (Chip) Bach. Collared shirt, gold /repositories/2/archival_objects/173721 1975 1980 circa 1975-1980 3 2 Scope and Contents Donated by Tom Laraway and team alumni. Collared shirt, white and gold /repositories/2/archival_objects/173723 1975 1980 circa 1975-1980 3 4 Scope and Contents Donated by Tom Laraway and team alumni. Duffel bag, "Wake Forest Swimming" /repositories/2/archival_objects/173719 2 1 Scope and Contents Donated by Doug Brady. Jacket, yellow /repositories/2/archival_objects/173724 1975 1980 circa 1975-1980 3 5 Scope and Contents Donated by Tom Laraway and team alumni. Speedo racing swim trunks, "WFU," from 1980 championship /repositories/2/archival_objects/173722 1980 3 1 Scope and Contents Donated by Tom Laraway. T-shirt, "Swimming" /repositories/2/archival_objects/173720 1975 1980 circa 1975-1980 3 3 Scope and Contents Donated by Tom Laraway.