April 19, 2006
Release courtesy of Matt Turk, Simpson College sports information director

INDIANOLA, IOWA . . . Simpson Athletic Director John Sirianni has announced that Mark Wagner has been hired as the new women's swimming coach at Simpson. Wagner comes to Simpson from West Des Moines Valley High School. Wagner began his coaching career in 1967 at Valley and from 1967-1986 he served as the head boys and girls swimming coach. After taking a four-year break, Wagner retired to the Tigers' program in 1990 and again served as the head boys and girls swimming coach until 2003. He was the boys swim coach at Valley from 2003-2006.

During his 35-year career on the prep level, Wagner led Valley to three state championships (girls in 1974 and 1975; boys in 1984). He was selected Iowa State Coach of the Year five times (1971, 1973, 1975, 1984, and 2000) and coached 24 individual and relay state champions. His Valley boys and girls teams earned more state runner-up placings than any other team on the high school level.

The only active coach that is in the Iowa High School Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame, Wagner saw one of his former swimmers, Craig Oppel, earn an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic games (4x200m relay). Oppel set a national high school record in the 200 yard freestyle in 1985 that stood for six years.

Wagner replaces Mark Corley as head women's swimming coach at Simpson.

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