Retirement Dinner Slide Show

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Illinois University athletic department has announced the renaming of the current Lantz Arena pool to now be known as the Ray Padovan Pool.

Padovan served as the head men's and women's swimming coach for 42 years and retired in May 2008. A retirement dinner was held in his honor in August 2008 in which plans to rename the pool were announced. The dinner was attended by 250 former EIU swimmers and their families.

Also announced at the dinner was the creation of a scholarship endowment in honor of Coach Padovan which would be awarded to future members of the EIU swim team. Former swimmers, alumni and friends of the program who wish to donate to that scholarship endowment can contact the EIU Foundation Office at (217) 581-3313.

“This scholarship endowment is a great way to help celebrate and remember the legacy of Coach Ray Padovan,” said EIU director of athletics Barbara Burke. “This opportunity provides a way for members of the EIU swimming community to continue to help the Panther swimming program through donations to this scholarship.”

EIU will open its 2008-09 swim season on Oct. 10 at IUPUI under new head coach Matt Bos, a former member of the Panther swim team from 1996-2000. The first home meet at the newly renamed Ray Padovan Pool will be on Oct. 11 versus Ball State at 1 p.m.

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID