For Immediate Release
May 15, 2003

George Villarreal Named Head Men's Swimming Coach

Chicago -- University of Chicago Director of Athletics Tom Weingartner announced today that George Villarreal has been appointed head men's swimming coach and director of aquatics.

Villarreal has served as head men's and women's swimming coach at Frostburg State University since 1998. During Villarreal's tenure, Frostburg State teams set 22 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) records, featured NCAA Division III qualifiers from 2001-03, and boasted the AMCC Men's Co-Swimmers of the Year in 2002. As a result of his efforts, Villarreal was selected as the AMCC Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2002.

Villarreal is a 1994 graduate of Emory University, where he was a four-time NCAA Division III qualifier and 1994 All-American. He earned honorable mention All-America status from 1991-94 and was cited as the University Athletic Association (UAA) Swimmer of the Year in 1993. Villarreal set 11 Emory records during his career.

"George Villarreal understands selective, private universities and the UAA, and I have no doubt that he will be an outstanding teacher and recruiter for our physical education and men's swimming program," said Weingartner. "Moreover, he has the administrative experience to bring the 50-meter pool at the new Gerald Ratner Athletics Center on line and manage it in a way that will benefit the entire University community."

Villarreal began his collegiate coaching career as the head women's swimming coach at Gallaudet University, a position he held from 1995-96.

He earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology from Emory in 1994 and received a master's degree in exercise physiology from Texas A&M University in 1998.