ARONBERG RESIGNS AS NAZARETH SWIM COACH
Former Clemson All-American coached Golden Flyers for 11 seasons

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Aug. 16, 2004) -- Rick Aronberg, head coach of Nazareth College’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams for the past 11 seasons, has resigned to take a position as head coach of the Buffalo-based STAR Swim Club.

Aronberg, a local swimming standout at Fairport High School, who later went on to earn Division I All-America honors at Clemson University, also was head coach and founder of the Greater Rochester Racing Raiders, an Olympic Development club team that was based at Nazareth.

As head coach at Nazareth, Aronberg brought stability to both the men’s and women’s programs. He coached NCAA qualifiers in 10 of his 11 seasons, including Kim Schneider, who won a national championship in the 100-yard butterfly in 1994, and Cheryl Roubian, a five-time All-American backstroker.

“Coaching Kim and Cheryl were among the highlights,” Aronberg said, “but our swimmers were all great kids who experienced great academic success and were great role models for the Nazareth community. I'm very proud of that.”

Aronberg was a seven-time high school All-American at Fairport and then earned All-America honors at Clemson in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles. In 2002, he was inducted into the Clemson University Athletic Hall of Fame and later was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 50th Anniversary team as one of the top swimmers in the conference’s history. He also is a member of the Rochester Athletic Hall of Fame and the Frontier Field Walk of Fame.

Aronberg’s coaching experience includes serving as assistant coach for the USA National Team that competed in Israel in 2001. Among the athletes he coached that summer was three-time Olympic champion Lenny Krayzelburg. Prior to that he was head coach of the United States Team that competed at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Mexico City.

The STAR Swim Club stands for Southtown Aquatic Racers and operates out of the world-class, Olympic-style complex at Erie Community College. The club is affiliated with USA Swimming.

“We’re obviously disappointed to see Rick leave us,” said Nazareth Athletic Director Pete Bothner, “but this is a great opportunity for him and we wish him the best.”