Al Stephenson

Head Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6601
E-mail: astephen@willamette.edu

The 2007-2008 season will be Al Stephenson’s eleventh year as Willamette’s head coach for men’s and women’s swimming.  In his eleven seasons, Stepehnson has earned two Northwest Conference Men’s Coach of the Year honors (2000-01 and 2003-04), and has once been named the NWC Women’s Coach of the Year (1998-99).  Prior to becoming WU’s head coach, Stephenson was a Bearcat assistant coach for 13 years under former mentors, Jim Brik, John Miller and Skip Kenitzer.  In his first season as a head coach, in 1997-98, Stephenson led the Willamette women to second place at the NWC Championships and to eight place at the NAIA Championships.  Two of Stephenson’s men’s teams have placed at the NCAA Division III national championships.  The 1999-00 squad finished in 48th place thanks to six points form freshman Brady Childs, while the 2002-03 team placed 37th in the nation after Eric Swinn earned nine points for his ninth place finish in the 100-yard backstroke.

In addition to his coaching duties at WU, Stephenson serves as the Director, and an assistant coach, for the Bearcat Swim Club, which is a year-round program for swimmers ages 7-17.  He also served as head coach of the Salem Aquatic Club for 24 years (1977-00) and was head coach at Sprague High School in 1976 and 1977.  He was named Oregon Swimming Coach of the Year in 1993.  In 1988, he served on the Paralympic staff for the U.S. team in Seoul, Korea. 

Stephenson graduated from Florida State University in 1974.  He received a bachelor’s degree in physical education and was a two-year letterman on the swimming team.  Stephenson and his wife, Beth, live in Salem.  They have two adult sons, Craig and Matthew, in addition to Beth’s two adult sons, Benjamin and Matthew.

THE AL STEPHENSON YEARS AT WILLAMETTE