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Charlotte, NC - Throughout sports history, many teams have displayed exceptional dominance in their field. Winning championships for years on end, teams like the Boston Celtics, Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees and UCLA Basketball have all been established as an empire of their sport. Though their impact on athletics has been extraordinary, they do not compare to the unprecedented run of the Indian River State College Swimming and Diving team. A team who began their success in 1975 has now seen 50 years of dominance. They have risen as one of the strongest dynasties in sports history that will be recognized for years to come.
For 50 consecutive years, the Men's Swimming and Diving team at Indian River State earned their way to a national championship title. This year they are chasing after their 51st title as the women's team seeks out their 43rd consecutive title, their 47th overall.
1975 set the stage for the next five decades of Indian River State sports. A team that was small, modest and not known for strength in 1974, found themselves reveling in their successes as they became national champions the following year. The shift in winning culture at Indian River State was spearheaded by the head coach at the time, Dick Wells. He instilled the initial winning mindset to the program that would transcend time. Wells led the Pioneers to two more championships before separating with the program in 1977. Though his time at Indian River State was short, his impact was unforgettable.
A decorated coaching staff of elite Olympic athletes and swimming legends have covered the history of Indian River State. One of the most notable coaching stints came from Chris Ip. Ip coached for 13 years at Indian River State, leading both the men's and women's teams to 13 championships, garnering 26 championship wins between the two teams. His influence on the program spread to the next generation of Indian River State Swimming and diving as he coached current head coach, Sion Brinn.
Brinn has more than continued the legacy of those before him. Currently in his 12th season at Indian River State, Brinn has led the Pioneers to 11 NJCAA National Championship titles. This season, he and his team are searching for their 12th title. Brinn's coaching prowess stems from his acclaimed experience as an athlete himself. Notably, Brinn was an Olympian in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. He was a member of the Indian River State Swimming and Diving team in 1991-93, helping him to understand exactly what it takes to be a National Champion at Indian River State.
Making the transition from athlete to coach at such an esteemed program like Indian River State is a daunting task. With Brinn's experience and knowledge from those he has learned from, the last ten years have been exceptional.
"Indian River State is a tradition. The expectation of the coach coming in is that they have the credentials to do the job so all you have to do is slide in and take over. You just have to try and continue what was going on the year before while implementing your own ideas to keep the success going," said Brinn. "There have been coaches who coached me at Indian River State that were here many years before I was, so you're always learning from those of the past and incorporating your own ideas. You just continue what you did as an athlete and instill that to the younger generation"
Prosperity at Indian River State comes from many different avenues that promote success. Between a seasoned coach and a talented pool of athletes, this program has been unstoppable. Much of their victories come from the support of the institution.
"Our success is at the hands of a variety of factors. It always starts with support from the administration to invest in the efforts of the program, not just financially," stated Brinn. "If you get that then you can create a strong tradition and history that keeps pushing forward."
The Pioneers took their 50th title in their home aquatic complex in Fort Pierce, Fl. This year they will venture up north to Buffalo, NY in an effort to claim their next victory. Coming off of such an historic win in 2024, Indian River State has a target on their back from their competition as they are the team to beat. For some, this may add pressure to both the coaching staff and the athletes. For the Pioneers, it cultivates greater focus to continue doing what is expected of them.
The Indian River State coaching staff instills the mindset in their athletes that the outside pressure of maintaining the unstoppable legacy of the program is not their focus, rather they should hone in on their performance and work to be the best version of themselves to win.
"The pressure is there. It's more of a case of continuing what is expected and I don't take that for granted. Every year, everyone is gunning for us so we do what we can to have a successful year for us. Hopefully the result of that is a National Championship," Brinn stated. "The athletes want to do well in every race they do the entire season. Their pressure should come from me to make sure I am getting the best out of them and their capabilities. The pressure that they instill within themselves is more 'I want to do well, I am going to do well and the coach is there to help me'. As long as I do my job and they do theirs, it extends an equilibrium of pressure from all sides."
Though their dominance has not waivered, the success of Indian River State has not come without its challenges. Maintaining a National Championship caliber team with the turnover of athletes every two years has proven to be difficult at times. The challenges that come with a new, young team each year also produce unique aspects that lead to triumph in each season.
"Every year your team changes in half, which is difficult. The pro to it is that it constantly gives you hungry athletes who develop. Going from high school to college, you're surrounded by talented people which automatically makes you rise to the occasion. From the coaching side, you look at it as something fresh every year. Every year is a unique year," Brinn stated.
Indian River States legacy of winning has made its mark on history. The importance of carrying on the tradition of winning is important to the program, however it is not the sole focus. As an academic institution that is preparing student-athletes for the next phase of their life, the goal of Brinn and all leadership at Indian River State is to give the athletes the tools they need to be successful moving forward. Indian River State is a small stop along the way for the future paths of the student-athletes. Indian River State not only fosters champions, but they also encourage prosperity among their students.
"Being at Indian River State or any Junior College is such a small part of your life, but it can have a huge impact. I just hope when they leave or when they're here, they experience something they can look back on and say they had fun with it," said Brinn. "Every once in a while, we will have an alumni show up to an event and they always say some of their best years were right here. It's a small part of their life but I just hope that during those two years here we've instilled some amount of reality and discipline into what life is like in the future."
The highly anticipated 2025 NJCAA Swimming and Diving National Championship is on the horizon as it will take place March 5-8 at Burt Flickinger Athletic Center in Buffalo, NY. The championship is being hosted by Erie Community College. Teams across the nation will gather for a shot at the title, trying to dethrone the empire of Indian River State College.