Dave Swanson retired from Benedictine University following the 2017-18 school year after serving the University, its staff, students and athletes in a variety of roles for 40 years. And since retiring he has continued to volunteer as an Assistant Baseball Coach.
In the spring of 2005, Swanson received the highest honor that Benedictine gives to its employees, the Benedictine Life Award.
Swanson has been a part of over 1100 wins and a part of the most successful period of Benedictine Baseball. The Eagles have had winning seasons in 30 of his 40 years as an assistant. In addition. Swanson has been a part of 6 Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) title squads and 6 NCAA Division III Tournament Teams.
Swanson’s tutelage with Eagles’ hitters has been quite evident in his 40 years on staff. He has mentored 9 All-Americans and numerous All-Region honorees. Included in that group is: Jim Sostak, who set an NCAA all divisions record with 15 consecutive hits in a six-day stretch during the 2000 season. Two-time All-American Aaron Giza, who tied for the nation’s lead with 71 batted in during the 2003 campaign, and led the country with a .917 slugging percentage. Rick Porcaro, the Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) career batting average leader at .411 (2008-2009) and Tim Hendricks, the once NACC career hits leader with 239 (since broken) from 2012-15.
Swanson has also served as an Assistant Football Coach and was the Head Women’s Basketball Coach from 1980-96, amassing more than 200 wins in his 16 years on the sidelines while earning 2 NIIC “Coach of the Year” citations. And he was an Assistant Athletic Director and an Associate Professor in the Physical Education Department.
Swanson, who was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988, was a four-year standout in both football and baseball for Benedictine. On the football field, he established the school’s career interception record with 12 picks (in just a season and half and since broken), and was his team’s Defensive MVP and an All-American defensive back in 1975.
Playing for Hall of Fame Coach Ostrowski on the Baseball diamond, he was an All-State centerfielder and a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-Scholastic Team Honoree. He was part of four NIIC title squads in as many seasons from 1973-76, during which the Eagles won 88 games. Swanson graduated as the valedictorian of his class and was tabbed as a member of the Outstanding College Athletes in America in 1976.
After graduating from Benedictine in 1976 with a degree in Physical Education, Swanson worked for two years as an admissions counselor with the University, then spent one year at Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison, IL. He then moved on to Indiana State University as a graduate assistant in its Physical Education Department and earned his Master’s Degree and helped with the Baseball program.
Swanson and his wife Cathy live in Wheaton, have 5 grown children and 4 grandchildren (yeah, we’re talkin’ Grandpa Swanee) – Cathie, David (Bridgette), Dan (Mary Catherine, Benjamin and Zachariah), Tim (Angela, both Benedictine grads, Luke and Michael), and Beth.
