Ball State University Athletics
Laura Seibold-Caudill To Retire After 2011-12 Season
October 20, 2011 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - After a career that will span 33 years, Ball State women's swimming & diving head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill has announced she will retire from coaching following the conclusion of the 2011-12 season and effective July 1, 2012.
"I have been blessed to spend my entire head coaching career at Ball State University," said Seibold-Caudill. "Ball State has been a wonderful place for me to coach, develop my career and raise my family. I have worked with a lot of tremendous people and made countless friends, but more than anything else I am going to cherish the close and memorable relationships I have developed with my student-athletes. I look forward to finishing my career on a high note and then remaining a member of the Ball State family and helping the program in the years to come."
A two-time Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year (1989-90 & 2003-04), Seibold-Caudill enters her 33rd and final season as head coach of the women's swimming & diving team after one of the most memorable campaigns in program history, as she coached BSU's swimmers and divers to 12 school records a year ago.
However, BSU's top moment last season came out of the pool and in the classroom when the squad was named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Spring 2011 Scholar All-America Team with the highest grade-point average in the nation. BSU posted a 3.600 team grade-point average for the 2011 spring semester, beating out Evansville, Tulane and Clemson by 0.01 of a point.
"We want to thank Laura for the contributions she has made to the Ball State swimming & diving programs over the past 32 years," said Ball State director of athletics Tom Collins. "She has been a positive influence in the lives of numerous student-athletes, coaches and staff members over her career. We wish her and her family well in their future endeavors."
In her 32 seasons, Seibold-Caudill boasts a combined record of 270-176-3 (.605), including an 87-112-1 (.438) mark Mid-American Conference dual meets. In addition to spending her entire career as the head coach of the women's program, she was co-head coach of the Ball State men's swimming & diving program from 2004-05 through the 2008-09 season.
She has helped guide the Ball State women's squad to third-place finishes at the league championship meet four times, while helping the men's program to a top three finish in her first season as co-head coach of the program in 2004-05.
Over her career, Seibold-Caudill has coached her student-athletes to MAC individual championships a total of 34 times, while helping guide her relay teams to four titles. Her student-athletes have earned First Team All-MAC honors 28 times, while collecting Second Team All-MAC accolades on 18 occasions.
She has also coached her student-athletes to two All-America honors, four MAC Diver of Year awards, three MAC Outstanding Senior awards and two MAC Swimmer of the Year honors. In addition, she has coached two individual NCAA National Championships qualifiers, two U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials participants and five International Olympic Team Trial participants.
Seibold-Caudill has also coached two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, while her women's teams have been chosen as a College Swimming Coaches of America Scholar All-America Team every semester since 1993 and the men's squad earned the honor every semester she worked with the program.
Seibold-Caudill and the Cardinals officially open the 2011-12 season Saturday, when they travel to Evansville for a 1 p.m. swim versus the Purple Aces.
