Memorial Service Set For Former Rice Swim Coach Fred Breckwoldt

MARBLE FALLS, Texas, December 20. FORMER Rice head men's and women's swimming head coach Frederick B. Breckwoldt, who coached the Owls for 16 seasons from 1966-67 to 1981-82, died on Dec. 15 at the age of 73. A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Dec. 21 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Marble Falls.

Years before the passing of Title IX legislation, Breckwoldt was one of the pioneers for the advancement of women's intercollegiate athletics in the state of Texas. In 16 seasons at the helm of the Owls' swim program, he coached 14 Rice women to 24 NCAA Division II All-America awards. Two of his Rice student-athletes, Lisa Pena and Kay Snell, set national records in their events. Rice finished 10th in the country at the AIAW Division II national meet in 1981. The Owls were eighth in the nation in 1980.

A respected leader in the coaching community, Breckwoldt was named the president of the National Collegiate Swim Coaches Association in 1981. He was also the chair of the Southwest Conference Swim Coaches Organization. Breckwoldt served as an academics counselor in the Rice athletics department.

Breckwoldt was born in Scarsdale, New York, in 1932. He was a multi-sport letterman in swimming, football and baseball at Springfield College in Massachusetts. He earned a master's degree in biology from the University of Houston in 1962.

In addition to his Rice duties he worked at St. John's School for 18 years as head of the science department, biology teacher, and coach of several sports. In Houston he also coached numerous swimming clubs including the Shamrock AAU team, the Tealwood Country Club, the Racquet Club and the Rosenberg S.C. He spent ten years at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin as head of the science Department and athletics coach. After retiring and moving to Kingsland he became a board member of the Blue Lake Golf Club and the Nightingale Archeological Society.

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