Purdue Legend Dan Ross Announces Retirement

A coaching legend announced his retirement this week after over 40 years with the same program. No, I’m not talking about Jim Boheim. I’m talking about Purdue Men’s Swimming and Diving Head Coach Dan Ross.

The numbers here speak for themselves and speak not just about his longevity as a head coach, 38 years, but also his talent, desire, and drive to succeed. This is especially true when you think of the fact that former swimmer Morgan Burke was the AD for much of Ross’ tenure and Burke cared deeply about the success of the swimming and diving team. Burke wouldn’t have kept Ross around had Ross not been getting the job done.

Ross won the conference coach of the year award three times; 1988, 1997, and 2009. Being recognized as the best coach in the conference in three separate decades has to be a good feeling. No doubt the sport had not passed him by.

Ross will officially retire at the end of June shortly after turning 64. What a glorious way to go out. On your own terms, beloved, and with plenty of life and love in front of you. We should all be so lucky. I’ll let Ross himself have the last word.

“It has been the privilege of my life to coach this team,” Ross said. “I loved every swimmer that I had the honor of coaching here at Purdue – from Lambert Pool or the original outdoor pool at the CoRec to the last 20 years at an unbelievable facility that is the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center. I told the current team, ‘I love each and every one of you unconditionally and that will never go away.’ This was a difficult decision, but my family helped me confirm what I knew in my heart – that it was time. Purdue Swimming & Diving is in amazing hands because of the people within the program that have made my final season a very special one.”