Don LaMont
Don Lamont, Former USC Women's Coach, Died At 82
December 11, 2018 | Women's Swimming & Diving, Features
He was a highly successful club coach whose swimmers earned multiple Olympic medals, national titles.
Former USC Swimming Coach Don LaMont, who guided the Trojan women's team for 10 years following a highly successful club coaching career and prior to a long stint of service for the university, died last week, months after suffering a severe stroke. He was 82.
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LaMont was inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame in 2008 for recognition of a career that spanned six decades while developing thousands of swimmers, including 13 Olympians and 17 All-Americans.
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As the head coach of the Trojans from 1979-88, LaMont led USC to four conference titles (1979-80-82-85) and eight top 10 NCAA finishes while sporting a 76-23 dual meet record. USC swimmers won seven individual national titles under LaMont and totaled 76 All-American honors.
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LaMont, who graduated from Pepperdine in 1958, taught at Frank Lloyd Wright Junior High in El Monte, Calif., from 1961-79 while leading the decorated El Monte Aquatics Club team during that span. He directed the Industry Hills club team from 1979-84 while also coaching at USC. He closed out his Trojan career as USC's aquatics director until 2003. LaMont also had stints with the Desert Storm Swim Club in Las Vegas and worked more recently with Velocity Swim and Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center in Brandon, Fla.
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His swimmers, which included Olympic medalists Sandy Neilson, Jill Sterkel, Cynthia Woodhead, Michelle Ford and Anne Ottenbrite, set multiple world, American and national records and he produced numerous prep All-Americans and NAG champions.
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LaMont, part of the Los Angeles County Hall of Fame, directed U.S. national teams throughout the globe, coaching American squads in Italy, France, New Zealand, Russia, Japan and West Germany.
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He is survived by his wife Caroline, and his three sons, Perry, Kevin and Daniel.
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A celebration of Life Service will be held at Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center on Thursday (Dec. 13) at 6 p.m. ET.
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LaMont was inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame in 2008 for recognition of a career that spanned six decades while developing thousands of swimmers, including 13 Olympians and 17 All-Americans.
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As the head coach of the Trojans from 1979-88, LaMont led USC to four conference titles (1979-80-82-85) and eight top 10 NCAA finishes while sporting a 76-23 dual meet record. USC swimmers won seven individual national titles under LaMont and totaled 76 All-American honors.
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LaMont, who graduated from Pepperdine in 1958, taught at Frank Lloyd Wright Junior High in El Monte, Calif., from 1961-79 while leading the decorated El Monte Aquatics Club team during that span. He directed the Industry Hills club team from 1979-84 while also coaching at USC. He closed out his Trojan career as USC's aquatics director until 2003. LaMont also had stints with the Desert Storm Swim Club in Las Vegas and worked more recently with Velocity Swim and Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center in Brandon, Fla.
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His swimmers, which included Olympic medalists Sandy Neilson, Jill Sterkel, Cynthia Woodhead, Michelle Ford and Anne Ottenbrite, set multiple world, American and national records and he produced numerous prep All-Americans and NAG champions.
Â
LaMont, part of the Los Angeles County Hall of Fame, directed U.S. national teams throughout the globe, coaching American squads in Italy, France, New Zealand, Russia, Japan and West Germany.
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He is survived by his wife Caroline, and his three sons, Perry, Kevin and Daniel.
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A celebration of Life Service will be held at Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center on Thursday (Dec. 13) at 6 p.m. ET.
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