This website is dedicated to the swimmers, divers and coaches who participated in the swimming program at Southwest during its existence from 1970 - 1980

History of the Swimming Machine sign

Translation for the visually impared

Southwest Minnesota State University has had a proud tradition of exceptional athletes and athletic teams over the decades. In 1970, Don Palm established a swimming and diving program that in its 10-year history finished runner-up a the NIC conference meet 4 times, won 5 NIC conference championships, and placed 6th in the nation at the 1976 NAIA championships. During the program’s inception years, a new and powerful symbol was believed to have been forged by then SMSC swimming cheerleaders. That symbol was then taken up by a Greg Oftedahl, a high school friend of swimmer Denny Dayhuff and diver Jerry Celski. Greg closely followed his friends and wanted to create something special and unique for their team. He incorporated this now nationally recognized logo into the iconic Southwest Swimming sign you see here. If you look closely, the horse contains a heart with the inscription “Palms Paddlers” in recognition of head coach Don Palm. The sign was presented to the team in 1973 and has been in all the team and reunion pictures since that time up until it was donated back to the University in 2017.

Current home of the Swimming Machine sign

If you have information you would like posted here or questions about any of the content, please contact  Gary Frickey

2001 Space Odyssey Theme