After announcing his retirement from head coaching on April 20, 2005, Bill Powell remains a vital part of WKU[apos]s success in and out of the water.
After 36 seasons, Powell ranks second in wins on the NCAA All-Time list for Division I coaches after winning a total of 336 men[apos]s dual meets.
Powell came to Western Kentucky University in 1969 and founded the school[apos]s swim program. In 36 seasons, Powell[apos]s Toppers endured just one losing record, which game in the inaugural season when WKU finished 3-4, which included a one-point loss at Tennessee State. Since then, Powell notched 35 consecutive winning seasons, seven undefeated marks and seven one-loss records. The men enjoyed three undefeated seasons between 1998 and 2004 racking up a 69-8 mark (.896) over that span.
Additionally, the Lady Topper program experienced similar success under Powell. After a 5-7-1 record in its inaugural 1997098 campaign, the women[apos]s team enjoyed seven-straight winning seasons (two undefeated and four one-loss marks), while capturing five straight Sun Belt Conference titles. Since that debut season, the Lady Toppers have lost just nine dual meets, going 90-9 (.910 winning percentage) over the past seven years that Powell has controlled the reins.
Over the course of his career, Powell has earned 11 Coach-of-the-Year awards, including being named the Michigan High School Coach of the Year in 1968 and the SBC Coach of the Year four times.
Powell earned a bachelor[apos]s degree at Western Michigan where he won three letters as a backstroker from 1957-59, and then went on toe earn his master[apos]s degree from WMU. In November 2005, he was inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Joanne, have four grown children: Mary Beth, Anne, Dan and Katie and nine grandchildren, Pete, Mike, Will, Ike, Jake, Margaret, Dan, Isabelle and Edie.
