Gus Stager

Who is Gus Stager?

Augustus P. "Gus" Stager, Jr. was the swimming coach for the 1960 U.S. Olympic team and the swimming coach at the University of Michigan for 25 years. His Michigan swimming teams won four NCAA national championships in 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1961. He also led Fordson High School to Michigan state championships three consecutive years from 1952 to 1954. In total, he swam for or coached on five NCAA champsionship teams, three Michigan high school championship teams, and the 1960 U.S. Olympic team—all before his 35th birthday. In 1982, he was inducted into both the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor. He was also the coach of the U.S. swim team at the 1967 Pan American Games and the 1973 World Championship.