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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate Eastern Illinois
4 University Swim Coach Ray Padovan on his retirement; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Ray Padovan is the dean of Eastern Illinois
6 University (EIU) coaches and a former NCAA record-holder; he
7 accomplished a lot in his final season, earning Summit League
8 mens' Coach-of-the-Year honors; during his tenure, he has
9 coached EIU to eight conference championships, including three
10 (two men's, one women's) Midwest Championships; his career
11 dual-meet record stands at 423-329-1; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Ray Padovan successfully fought for and saved the
13 men's programs at EIU; Ray Padovan developed the Panther
14 swimming program into one the most well respected in the
15 country over five decades; he has had a positive impact on two
16 or three thousand students during his 42-year coaching and
17 teaching career; the men's team, along with wrestling was
18 terminated in 1995, and he fought to save the programs and
19 ultimately succeeded in reinstating both; he also worked to
20 strengthen the team and put it on stronger footing; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Coach Padovan was named the 1981 NCAA Division II
22 National Coach of the Year' after directing the Panthers to a

 

 

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1 sixth place national finish in Eastern's last year at that
2 level; in 14 years of NAIA or NCAA Division II competition, he
3 has coached the men to nine top 10 finishes, with 24 swimmers
4 earning 124 total All-American honors; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In three years of competition at the Association
6 of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division II
7 national meet, Ray Padovan led the women to 25th, 12th, and
8 15th place between 1981-1983 and nine Panther women earned 32
9 All-American honors; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Coach Padovan is a member of the Southern Illinois
11 University Hall of Fame, where he set NCAA records in the 50
12 and 100-freestyles back in 1961 while earning his undergraduate
13 degree in physical education in 1964 and a master's degree in
14 health in 1965; he finished third in the 50 in 1961 with a
15 22.20, a time that would place him 7th on his current team; and
 
16     WHEREAS, He coached one year at Eastern New Mexico, where
17 the Greyhounds were second at the NAIA National Tournament; he
18 is a native of North Miami, Florida, and competed at the
19 Masters Championships in 1986, where he set five national 45-49
20 age group records; therefore, be it
 
21     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we

 

 

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1 congrautlate Ray Padovan for a great career and wish him the
2 best for the future; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4 presented to Coach Ray Padovan as a symbol of our respect.