NISCA All-American Showcase: Andy Coan, Nicole Haislett Among Best Ever in 100 Free

PHOENIX, Arizona, July 13. AS part of our 11-day series highlighting the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association’s release of the 2013-14 All-America lists, Swimming World will also be looking at the history of each event that is part of the high school schedule. Today, we’re looking at the 100-yard free. Pine Crest’s Andy Coan and Lakewood’s Nicole Haislett are among the best ever to swim in the event at the high school level.

There is little doubt that Pine Crest’s Andy Coan was well ahead of his time in the 1970s. From 1974 through 1976, Coan ruled the roost in the 100-yard free at the high school level, including his stunning American record 43.99 set in 1975. That mark stood as an American record for four years, and was atop the high school rankings for 16 years until Joe Hudepohl came along and revolutionized sprint freestyle at the high school level.

Coan, who went on to train at the University of Tennessee, is one of the swimmers who fell victim to the 1980 Olympic boycott. After missing the Olympic team in 1976 right out of high school, he went on to an amazing career with the Volunteers. He won the 50 and 100 freestyle NCAA titles in 1978, then topped the 100 and 200 frees in 1979.

Unfortunately, Coan had a car accident after the 1979 NCAA meet and broke both wrists and fractured his right kneecap. After a three-month hospital stay and multiple operation, Coan defied doctors thoughts saying he would never swim again as he came back to Tennessee to win the 50 free at the 1980 NCAA Championships. He retired shortly after that meet due to the boycott.

Remarkably, Coan’s time from 1975, nearly four decades later, would have made the top 10 in this year’s NISCA All-American lists.

BOYS 100 FREE TOP TIMES PER YEAR
1974, 45.8, Scott Findorff, Madison West
1974, 45.80, Andy Coan, Pine Crest
1975, 43.99, Andy Coan, Pine Crest
1976, 45.40, Andy Coan, Pine Crest
1977, 45.54, Michael Kelly, Fountain Valley
1978, 45.427, Donald Hornby, Nova
1979, 44.88, T. Ryan Yantis, Cordova Senior
1980, 44.04, Chris Cavanaugh, Lynbrook
1981, 45.10, Lee Cassidy, Westminster
1982, 44.57, Tom Jager, Collinsville
1983, 45.04, Matt Biondi, Campolindo
1984, 44.83, John Everatt, Winter Park
1985, 44.79, John Matson, Mercersburg Academy
1986, 44.90, Steve Geving, Northglenn
1987, 44.99, David Meck, Prospect
1988, 44.47, Brian Kurza, Hinsdale South
1989, 44.42, Doug Dickinson, Amarillo
1990, 44.18, Jason Fink, Brazoswood
1991, 43.54, Joe Hudepohl, St. Xavier
1992, 43.43, Joe Hudepohl, St. Xavier
1993, 43.85, Gary Hall, Brophy Prep
1994, 43.85, Derya Buyukuncu, Woodbridge
1995, 44.26, Glenn Counts, Kingwood
1996, 44.48, Glenn Counts, Kingwood
1997, 44.53, Jay Schryver, Loveland
1998, 44.74, Matt Smart, Lincoln
1999, 44.11, Antony Ervin, William S. Hart
2000, 44.80, Clay Kirkland, Bolles School
2001, 44.27, Clay Kirkland, Bolles School
2002, 44.11, Michael Cavic, Tustin
2003, 43.49, Garrett Weber-Gale, Nicolet
2004, 44.20, Kyle Bubolz, Waukesha North
2005, 44.42, Forbes Alexander, Lyman
2006, 44.08, Nathan Adrian, Bremerton
2007, 43.93, Austin Staab, Westerville Central
2008, 43.05, Jimmy Feigen, Winston Churchill
2009, 43.70, Morgan Henderson-Kunz, Westview
2010, 42.87, Vlad Morozov, Torrance
2011, 42.34, David Nolan, Hershey
2012, 43.67, Shane Ryan, Haverford
2013, 42.81, Jack Conger, Our Lady of Good Counsel
2014, 43.37, Blake Pieroni, Chesterton

In 1990, Nicole Haislett nearly became the first high school female to break 49 seconds in the event when she clocked a 49.34 while swimming for Lakewood High. That was the second straight year Haislett led the way in the event after posting a 49.94 the year prior in 1989. Haislett initially posted a 49.66 to win the 100-yard free at the Florida 3A Championships in 1999, before racing to a 49.34 as the leadoff leg for Lakewood in Florida.

Haislett would go on to be a star at the University of Florida, including a trio of Olympic gold medals in 1992 as the winner of the 200-meter free and as a member of the 400-meter freestyle and medley relay victories for Team USA.

Haislett dominated the NCAA ranks where she won the 200-yard freestyle NCAA title four straight years, and also won the 200-yard IM in 1993 and the 500-yard free in 1994.

Haislett’s 49.34 from 1990 would rank fifth in the NISCA All-American lists this year, 24 years after the fact.

GIRLS 100 FREE TOP TIMES PER YEAR
1974, 52.7, Shirley Babashoff, Fountain Valley
1975, 52.20, Bonnie Brown, Pine Crest
1976, 50.74, Jill Sterkel, Wilson
1977, 50.53, Jill Sterkel, Wilson
1978, 50.22, Jill Sterkel, Wilson
1979, 49.77, Jill Sterkel, Wilson
1980, 50.59, Julie Williams, El Toro
1981, 50.13, Susan Habernigg, Lake Oswego
1982, 49.88, Cynthia Woodhead, Mission Viejo
1983, 50.31, Heather Strang, East Lansing
1984, 49.76, Carrie Steinseifer, Saratoga
1985, 49.76, Dara Torres, Westlake School
1986, 50.26, Carrie Steinseifer, Saratoga
1987, 50.65, Melanie Valerio, Hawken School
1988, 49.76, Grace Cornelius, Baldwin School
1989, 49.94, Nicole Haislett, Lakewood
1990, 49.34, Nicole Haislett, Lakewood
1991, 50.34, Allison Bock, Jefferson
1992, 50.17, Michelle Jesperson, Madison West
1993, 50.01, Kara Goodin, Pine Crest
1994, 50.02, Lindsay Benko, Elkhart Central
1995, 50.10, Lindsay Benko, Elkhart Central
1996, 49.72, Emily Mastin, Xavier Prep
1997, 50.04, Adrienna Mattos, Saint Francis
1998, 49.61, Stef Williams, Bloomsburg Area
1999, 49.37, Cassidy Maxwell, Satellite
2000, 49.41, Kim Vandenberg, Campolindo
2001, 49.77, Lacey Boutwell, Noblesville
2002, 49.40, Christina Swindle, Gulliver Prep
2003, 48.59, Kara Lynn Joyce, Ann Arbor Pioneer
2004, 49.06, Amanda Weir, Brookwood
2005, 49.56, Michele King, Spring Grove
2006, 49.45, Megan Romano, Northeast Senior
2007, 49.46, Kate Dwelley, Liberty
2008, 48.75, Karlee Bispo, Thomas Downey
2009, 48.33, Dagny Knutson, Minot
2010, 48.15, Dagny Knutson, Minot
2011, 48.64, Maddy Schaefer, Saint Francis
2012, 48.45, Missy Franklin, Regis Jesuit
2013, 48.96, Lindsey Engel, Crean Lutheran
2014, 47.82, Abbey Weitzeil, Saugus

2013-14 NISCA Girls High School All-Americans

2013-14 NISCA Boys High School All-Americans

NOTE: All America times have to be submitted to NISCA by a certain deadline in order to make the 2014 All-American list. Coaches can submit times here: http://www.niscaonline.org/aaswimming/. Corrections can also be submitted to NISCA via three emails: Boys Swimming contact: boysswaa@niscaonline.org; Girls Swimming contact: girlsswaa@niscaonline.org; Boys and Girls Diving contact: aadiving@niscaonline.org

This is the sixth day of what will be an 11-day showcase of the NISCA All-American program. Swimming World is proud to partner with NISCA to provided a global spotlight on high school swimming in the U.S., and will be talking to some of the top movers and shakers in high school swimming this week as part of the Morning Swim Show. Additionally, we’ll be taking a look back at some of the best of the best high school swimmers historically.

To access high school All-Americans all the way back through 1974, purchase back issues of Swimming World Magazine!

For more incredible high school content, make sure to subscribe to Swimming World TODAY to make sure you get our High School Swimmers of the Year (August) and High School National Champions of the Year (September) issues.

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