Courtesy: Oakland Athletics
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Oakland University’s swimming and diving head coach, Pete Hovland has been named to the 2020 Summit League Hall of Fame class the conference announced Thursday.
Hovland becomes the first swimming and diving coach added to a group of distinguished performers and coaches that will now include 17 inductees, spanning three classes since its inception in 2017.
“Our acceptance into the Summit League was a very exciting and historical time for everyone,” Hovland said. “Going from Pioneers to Golden Grizzlies, moving into Division I and taking occupancy of our shiny new building was a very fun and gratifying time for all of us.”
Oakland was a member of the Summit League from 1998-2013, known as mid-continent conference until 2007. Over a 14-year span, Hovland guided Oakland to every team title on both the men’s and women’s side for a combined 28 championship titles.
On the men’s side, Hovland was named Summit League Coach of the Year an impressive eight times, while earing the same honor on the women’s side seven times.
“As coaches and staffs, we all wanted to prove to everyone, and more importantly ourselves, that we belonged and that the jump up to Division I was the right thing for Oakland and the Rochester communities,” Hovland said. “We accepted the challenge with open arms and with a lot of hard work and dedication quickly became a major contributor within the League in so many areas. Our years in the Summit League really helped shape who we are today.”
As a member of the Summit League, Hovland has coached four swimmers who qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships including Anders Jensen (2009), Marcin Unold (2007 & 2008), Chris Sullivan (2006) and Tanya Korniyenko (2004) who went on to score at the national meet and earn All-America honors.
Under Hovland’s leadership, Oakland saw a combined 28 Summit League Swimmer of the Year honorees with both the men’s and women’s teams having a recipient of the award every year as a member of the conference.
During Oakland’s stint in the Summit League, Hovland coached two student-athletes on to the Olympics in Scott Dickens and Haitham Hassan. Dickens swam for Canada in 2004, while Hassan competed for Egypt in 2000.
“I humbly accept this honor on behalf of Oakland, my previous staffs and the numerous student-athletes we had competing for championships each and every year,” Hovland said.
Joining Hovland in the 2020 Class is George Hill (IUPUI, Men’s Basketball), Chen Ni (IUPUI, Women’s Swimming and Diving), Amy Olson (North Dakota State, Women’s Golf) and Jack Whitt (Oral Roberts, Men’s Track and Field).