In a sport where timing is everything, the accomplishments of Rick Simmon are timeless. Forget the fact that the last time he climbed out of the pool representing Augustana was 1969. His achievements are etched indelibly in the fabric of Augustana athletics.
Three times he was the Most Valuable Performer in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championship meet. He won a grand total of nine CCIW events during his career, eight individual and one relay. During his career he never lost an individual event in the conference meet.
During his sophomore season he won the 400 individual medley and the 200 freestyle and as a junior he picked up three individual titles and one relay crown, winning the 1000 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley. He swam the second leg on the winning 400 freestyle relay team as well. In his senior year he won the 400 individual medley, the 200 individual medley and the 1,650 freestyle.
Clearly, Simmon was a versatile performer and a fierce competitor. He served as team captain for three straight years and earned NAIA All-American honors in the 800 freestyle relay and the 1,650 freestyle in 1967.
When he graduated in 1969 with a degree in business, his name was plastered all over the Augustana record books. For a 25 yard pool he owned school records in the 1000 freestyle (11:05.1), 500 freestyle (5:20.6), 400 individual medley (4:43.1), 400 freestyle relay (3:28.2) and 800 freestyle relay (7:44.6). He also was the school record holder in four events in a 20 yard pool (160 individual medley, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1000 freestyle).
Always the competitor, he also found time to win the 120 pound weight class in the intramural wrestling meet as a freshman and the 880 in the intramural track meet as a junior.
During his three years as a letter winner, Simmon helped the Vikings go 24-10 in dual meets and win CCIW team titles in 1967 and again in 1969. The Augustana win in 1967 snapped a 17 year winning streak by North Central.
Rick and his wife Carolyn Eagle have two sons, Fritz (16) and Ike (13). He has been the owner of several Happy Joes Pizza franchises in St. Louis, a business he has been involved in for the last 36 years. He calls his Augustana experience “some of the best years of my life” with “great friends and great times”.
