Falcons Host Tom Stubbs Relays And Jean Campbell Alumni Meet This Weekend At Cooper Pool

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University swimming and diving program has a jam-packed weekend of action at Cooper Pool this Friday and Saturday, hosting both the Tom Stubbs Relays and Jean Campbell Alumni Meet. With the entire BGSU campus and community celebrating Homecoming, the Falcons will host two meets at home to begin the 2015-16 season.

"This weekend is a big weekend for the program and even the University," Ense began. "Friday we have the Tom Stubbs Relays, and even though it's a fun meet, it gives the women a chance to get up and compete. Then on Saturday we have our Jean Campbell Alumni Meet. Our program grows and builds off the support of our alumni and to have them back each year is huge."

Tom Stubbs Relays
On Friday, beginning at 4:00 p.m., Bowling Green will host the Tom Stubbs Relays. Five teams will compete in the event, including Akron, Toledo, Oakland and Youngstown State. Schools are permitted to enter three relay teams in each of the 10 events. A full list of the events can be found below:

Events # Event

200 Medley relay
300 Butterfly relay
300 Backstroke relay
300 Breaststroke relay
800 Free relay
400 Medley relay
200 Free relay
1500 Free relay (3x500)
400 IM relay (4x100IM)
400 Free relay

Stubbs, a 2007 BGSU Hall of Fame inductee, is expected to be in attendance with his family at the meet.
He had a storied career as both an athlete and a coach at BG. After competing for the Falcons in the 1940s, he returned to his alma mater as head coach for 18 seasons. He led Bowling Green's men's swimming teams to a total of 102 wins in that time. Stubbs coached the women's program as well as the men's team in his final four years, and led the women's team to a dual-meet record of 29-5 during that span. Under Stubbs' direction, the women won three state championships in his first three seasons. That streak was finally snapped in his last year, but the Falcons went on to win the MAC title that winter (1980-81).

Born in Chicago and graduated from Lakewood High School, Stubbs earned his undergraduate degree
at Bowling Green and earned four letters as a member of the swim team. His career was interrupted by a stint in the military during World War II, in which he was a member of the 11th Airborne Division and worked his way up to the rank of First Lieutenant. His military service extended from 1943-46, before his return to BG and the completion of his undergraduate degree. A freestyler, he helped the Falcons produce a 28-8 record in his final three seasons.

After graduating in 1949, he attended Kent State, earning his master's degree in 1951. He moved to Michigan to become head swimming coach at East Grand Rapids High School and then Battle Creek Central, before returning to Bowling Green in 1963. Seven of his high school teams won state championships. Thirty-four of his swimmers were high school All-Americans, and six set national high school records. He was the first president of the Michigan Swimming Coaches Association, from 1954-56. Some of Stubbs' other honors over the years included the Battle Creek "Roy Sparks Award" for outstanding contributions to swimming, and the Michigan Swimming Coaches Association's "Matt Mann Award" for service to swimming on the state and national levels.

In 1963, he returned to BGSU. In addition to his successful coaching tenure, he wore many other hats at his alma mater. He was appointed as the BGSU Director of Aquatics in 1977, was selected to the BGSU chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership society, and also served as an assistant professor. Stubbs served two terms on the NCAA Swimming Rules Committee and was the head referee at four NCAA Championships. He was the first person to ever serve as head referee at both the NCAA Division I and II swimming championships in the same year. He was honored by the Ohio High School Athletic Association for outstanding contributions to the sport of swimming. He has remained active in the community to this day, receiving numerous honors including the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce's outstanding citizen award. Stubbs was also honored with the BG Varsity Club Silver Anniversary Award, and the National Red Cross Humanitarian Award. The women's swimming team's home relay event bears his name, as the Falcons host the Tom Stubbs Relays each season.

Jean Campbell Alumni Meet
On Saturday, the Falcons will hold the annual Jean Campbell Alumni Meet beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Cooper Pool. Several Falcon swimming and diving alumni – both men's and women's – will be in attendance to partake in the day's activities. Following the meet, the gathering will eat lunch on the pool deck with the current team.

Dr. Jean Campbell was the Falcons' swimming and diving coach from 1966 to 1977 and Bowling Green's synchronized swimming coach from 1976 to 1978.

Her teams were Midwest champions four times in a five-season span from 1972 to 1976, including three years in a row from 1972 to 1974. In the one year that interrupted the streak, the team was second in the Midwest. She also led the Falcons to state championships in four consecutive seasons, beginning in the 1973-74 campaign.

Campbell, one of the most successful coaches in school history, led swimmers to qualify for a total of 33 spots in the AIAW Nationals over a four year span from 1973-74 to 1976-77. In all, fifteen swimmers were named All-Americans at the AIAW Nationals competitions.

During the 1975-76 season, Campbell led her team to the International championships in Ontario, Canada. She also led the 1977-78 synchronized swimming team to a state championship and sixth place at the AIAW Nationals.

Dr. Campbell came to Bowling Green after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in speech at Indiana State. Campbell earned both her Master of Arts in Theatre and PhD in Theater at BGSU.

From 1965 to 1978, Campbell taught in BGSU's Women's Physical Education department, including courses in gymnastics, swimming and diving, ice skating, life saving, water safety, education gymnastics, and foundations of physical education.

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