Knox College Prairie Fire

Entering the 1975-76 season, the Knox men’s swimming and diving team already had a target on their backs having won the league championship the year before. The squad, coached by Van Steckelberg, recorded a perfect 9-0 dual meet record in the Midwest Conference and once again edged out Grinnell at the MWC Championship by a 393-379 margin.

Not only did the Prairie Fire break all three school relay records in the 400 free relay, 800 free relay and 400 medley relay, but they also toppled a pair of conference championship records in the process as well. The team's Most Valuable Swimmer for the third straight year, Steve Varick '76, set the 200 yard free record at the meet and was the anchor of the 800 free relay quartet (joined by Mike Muro '77, Luke Hannon ’79 and Pete Mitchell ’78) that blew past the record Knox set in the event the year before by 12 seconds.

Knox had a number of individuals reach the podium, including victories for Muro in the 100 butterfly for the third consecutive year, and Jay Zimmerman ’76 in the 200 yard back. Finishing second were Muro in the 200 yard butterfly, Mitchell in the 200 yard IM and 400 yard IM, Varick in the 500 yard free and 1650 yard free, and Zimmerman in the 100 yard back.