Frank Erwin Awards

In 1975 Tex Robertson created the Frank Erwin Award to signify outstanding individual achievement and contribution to Longhorn swimming and diving. The first recipient was, of course, Frank Erwin himself.

Frank Erwin was born in Waxahachie, Texas, in 1920. He enrolled in UT the same year that Tex Robertson became the Longhorn swimming coach, 1937. They then both joined the Navy in 1942, interrupting their respective education and coaching careers, to serve in World War II. Erwin returned to UT to earn his law degree in 1948.

Although politics was important to his life, Erwin’s foremost passion was the University of Texas. From 1963 to 1975 he sat on the UT Board of Regents; he was chairman from 1966-1971. His strong leadership and great accomplishments in every corner of the campus made his contribution to swimming just one of many good deeds at UT.

As president of the Longhorn Club, Erwin gave swimming’s very first scholarship to Skippy Browning after he was denied an athletic scholarship. He was instrumental in the hiring of Pat Patterson and was the force behind the building of the world’s finest swimming and diving facility. To top it all, he used his influence to get UT to go along with Patterson’s recommendation to obtain super coaches Paul Bergen and Eddie Reese and to get the athletics department to fully fund both programs.

Any swimmer or diver to ever wet a foot in the Texas Swimming Center should remember this man and his contribution to the nation’s best collegiate swim programs.

If you know of someone you feel is deserving of the Frank Erwin Award, a nomination form can be downloaded here.

2023

  • Ricky Berens

  • Marty Hubbell

  • Tanica Jamison

  • Kat Kelly LaRocca

  • Laura Sogar

  • Jack Roach

2022

  • Jeff Commings

  • Garrett Weber Gale

  • Cheryl Ridall

  • Kristina Stinson Straface

  • Mary Yarrison Hahn

  • Jon Alter

2019

  • Annabelle Cripps

  • Rip Esselstyn

  • Terri Seipel Hinojosa

  • Bryan Jones

  • Claire Sanders McCall

2018

  • Annette Cowley-Nel

  • Lance Gordon

  • David & Edwina Thomas

  • Tine Tollan

  • Ann Drolsom Worthington

2017

  • Julie Cooper Bliemel

  • Lisa Hallee

  • Scott Mactier

  • Kristi Busico Metzger

  • John and Susie Naftanel

2016

  • Tim Carter

  • Nancy Marter Carter

  • Brandon Gardner

  • Melanie Hauser

  • Aaron Piersol

2015

  • Ian Crocker

  • Brendan Hansen

  • Jodi Wilson Kuhn

  • Charles Logan

  • Emily Sullivan Lyden

  • Tobie Smith

2014

  • Lydia Morrow Chase

  • Jeanne Doolan Cunningham

  • Tommy Hannan

  • Chris Plonsky

  • Will Reeves

  • Vanessa Richey Said

  • Matt Ulrickson

2013

  • Jodi Else Horvath

  • Scott Goldblatt

  • Mary Juarez

  • Ricky May

  • Jim Spillane

  • Sherry Wigginton Beall

2012

  • Troy Dumais

  • Lee Jamieson

  • Colleen Lanne Cox

  • Sheila Rice

  • Leroy Sutherland

  • Jenni Wagner Stark

2011

  • Sam Kendricks

  • Carlos Arena

  • Nate Dusing

  • Vera Ilyina

  • Jaime Rauch

  • Laura Wilkinson