Fairmont State pool named after Lewes resident

Fairmont State University President Dr. Mike Davis recently announced the university is naming the swimming pool in honor of legendary swimming coach Steve Mahaney. Mahaney, a Lewes-area resident, is a Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Famer and was named NAIA Coach of the Year in 1977.

"The renaming of this facility in honor of coach Mahaney is a fitting tribute to a career that changed so many lives and put Fairmont State swimming on the map," said Davis. "As we seek to connect the threads of the past to the potential of our future, the recognition of a hall-of-fame coach in this way creates a bond between swimmers of the past, present and future that will never be broken. This renaming is especially meaningful given the fundraising efforts led by coach Mahaney's former student-athletes that will ensure that today's swimmers will have the resources they need to succeed."

The dedication of the Mahaney Natatorium will take place Saturday, Nov. 11, in a special ceremony held at the Feaster Center Pool.

Mahaney served as the Fairmont State coach from 1971-88. During his tenure, he coached 150 NAIA All-Americans, which included 13 four-year All-Americans. His teams won 10 WVIAC championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship. The men's team earned a fifth-place finish at the 1986 NAIA Championships, while the women's team earned trips to the national tournament in 1986 and 1987. He coached the women's team to a fourth-place finish in 1987, with the team winning seven individual national championships and setting six national records at the event. He was inducted into the Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.

“It's the most wonderful honor that I could imagine," said Mahaney. "When President Davis called, I was beyond excited. It was so unexpected. It is wonderful that I have the opportunity to share this honor with several of the swimmers that I coached. Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm."

"To have a facility named after a head coach is a tremendous honor," said Fairmont State Director of Athletics Greg Bamberger. "This recognition is an indication of the tremendous impact coach Mahaney had on his student-athletes and Fairmont State University. He taught them not only how to be successful in the pool, but also in life. Congratulations to coach Mahaney and his family for this lifetime recognition."

After coaching at Fairmont State, Mahaney became the coach at the University of Maryland, his alma mater. He retired from coaching in 1994. He turned down a job as an assistant at the University of North Carolina to work in special education in Montgomery County, Md., where he worked for 15 years as a crisis support teacher. Mahaney retired to the Cape Region seven years ago, settling in at Coastal Club. He’s now an active member of Sussex Cyclists. He also enjoys Cape basketball and girls’ lacrosse games.