Head Coach: Craig Penrose
ASCA Level 5
NAIA Mens/Womens Coach of the Year
Ozark Swimming Coach of the Year
YMCA Coach of the Year
Coach Craig Penrose is a swimming institution in St. Louis. With over two decades of experience in coaching, from age group coaching to the ranks of college coaching, Coach Penrose has coached 3 Olympic Trial qualifiers, a Master world record holder, along with over fifty national level athletes. Penrose draws on a wealth of knowledge to lead the Lions to greatness.
Craig has attained the highest level of coaching available in US swimming, becoming ASCA Level 5 coach in 1992. Currently there are approximately 200 Level 5 coaches in the world. Penrose was awarded NAIA Coach of the Year for men and women for the 2002-2003 swim season.
Currently the Lions are in their 6th season in the NAIA. The Men's Team finished 2nd, while the women's team finished 4th in the nation in 2006. The Lions amassed a total of 85 All-Americans in 2006. Coach Penrose has already guided 9 National Champions and a total of 167 All-Americans over six years.
Coach Penrose is entering his 26th year of Coaching. He spent 8 years at the Parkway Swim Club winning Age Group Championships 6 out of the 8 years. Penrose developed over 20 Top 16 swimmers at Parkway. He then started the Rec-Plex Sharks Swim Club in 1994. After the Club ammassed 300 plus swimmers, Penrose was hired to start a Swimming program at Lindenwood University. Taking the Lions from 24th place to 2nd in the NAIA National Championships is just par for the course of what he stands for. Every Coaching job that Penrose has had, he has developed a very successful program.
Penrose swam for Southest Missouri State University from 1977-1981. He was a 4-year Varsity Letterman and Team Captain for the Indians.
Coach Penrose has obtained the following degrees: Undergraduate Degree in Commercial Art (BS), Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA), Masters Degree in Human Services Management (MA)
Head Diving Coach: Rick Weaver
Rick Weaver is a graduate of the University of Iowa. His previous coaching experience has been at the age group, high school and collegiate level in Iowa and Missouri. As a diver he competed at the high school, Junior Olympic and collegiate level. Rick is very familiar with the St. Peters Rec-Plex, the training and meet site for the Lindenwood divers. When the Rec-Plex opened in 1994 until 2001, Rick was the Aquatics Coordinator for the facility.
While there he was instrumental in the formation of the Rec-Plex Lightning age group diving program which has produced several National Champions and National Team members.
Rick's primary focus over the last 12 years has been in meet management including having served as Meet Manager and/or Facility Manager for the 2005 and 2006 NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships, the Missouri State High School Swimming and Diving Championships from 1998 to the present, the 1999 USDiving West Spring National Junior Championships, numerous USDiving Regional and Zone Championships and the 1998 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving National Championships. In 1999 & 2001, Rick was the Diving Commissioner for the State Games of America, a National Championship for medal winners from the 42 State Games competitions held throughout the country.
He also served as the timing and scoring coordinator for the 2004 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving National Championships and he was honored to serve as the scoring systems coordinator for the 2004 US Olympic Qualifying Trials held at the Rec-Plex.
