The University of Georgia bestowed one of its highest honors on Jack Bauerle, retired Tom Cousins Swimming and Diving Head Coach, and Anne L. Sweaney, professor emeritus, at the Founders Day luncheon on Jan. 28.

The President’s Medal recognizes individuals, not currently employed at the university, who have made extraordinary contributions to the UGA community by supporting students and academic programs, advancing research or engaging in public service to enhance the quality of life of citizens in Georgia. The honor is awarded annually during the university’s Founders Day celebration.

“Coach Bauerle and Dr. Sweaney dedicated their remarkable careers to the University of Georgia, establishing a legacy of profound impact fueled by their commitment to serving others,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “It is an honor to present the President’s Medal to these two exceptional individuals who embody everything that makes UGA such a special institution.”

Jack Bauerle

Jack Bauerle’s record of success in competition is only surpassed by the transformational impact he made on the lives of student-athletes at the University of Georgia.

Bauerle was a four-year letterwinner and a two-time captain of the UGA swimming team prior to graduating in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. In 1979, he began his career as head coach of the women’s swim team. He later assumed the duties of men’s head coach in 1983, eventually passing Dan Magill to become the longest-tenured coach in UGA history at 43 seasons.

With Bauerle at the helm, the Bulldogs set the standard for excellence with seven national championships, 12 SEC Championships, nearly 50 top-10 national finishes, 175 individual national titles, 10 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year winners and more than 2,000 All-America citations. As a result, Bauerle was recognized as the National Women’s Coach of the Year seven times and SEC Coach of the Year 18 times. During his decorated career, Bauerle also coached Team USA at six different Olympic games, including as head coach of the women’s team at the 2008 Beijing Games, where he led the U.S. to 14 medals, the most of any nation. Across Bauerle’s tenure, UGA prepared 87 Olympians representing 20 nations. These talented athletes earned 38 Olympic medals, cementing UGA’s national status as a powerhouse in swimming and diving.

Outside the pool, Bauerle was well-known for expecting excellence from his student-athletes in the classroom. Under his direction, the program produced 39 NCAA postgraduate scholarship winners, 41 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans (formerly CoSIDA) and 416 CSCAA Scholar All-Americans. In addition, Bauerle coached three NCAA Women of the Year, college athletics’ highest award that honors the academic achievements, athletic excellence, community service and leadership of student-athletes from all three NCAA divisions.  

Beyond coaching, Bauerle also served on the Board of Advisors for UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and was inducted into the Blue Key Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi and the Sphinx Society — UGA’s oldest honorary society. In 2021, Bauerle delivered the Commencement address at UGA’s fall undergraduate Commencement and, in 2023, he was inducted into the prestigious Circle of Honor, the highest distinction awarded by the UGA Athletic Association.

Bauerle’s leadership inspired greatness in the pool and in the classroom for generations of student-athletes at the University of Georgia, and the exceptional impact of his legacy will continue to be felt at UGA for years to come.

Anne L. Sweaney

Sweaney played an important role in elevating the University of Georgia’s positive impact through exceptional teaching, consistent leadership and dedicated service.

Sweaney earned her Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Alabama before starting her career at UGA as a part-time instructor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences in 1981. She later secured a tenure-track position and was named a full professor at UGA in 1995. Throughout her career, Sweaney served as head of the department of housing and consumer economics and interim dean of FACS.

Her visionary leadership helped spearhead the establishment of UGA’s financial planning program, now one of the fastest growing majors in FACS, and she was a key figure in the launch of the Legislative Aide Leadership Fellows program. As interim dean in 2010, she helped establish the UGA Obesity Initiative in response to an emerging public health crisis. For many years, her ingenuity and responsive leadership style have played a major role in strengthening the college and amplifying the reputation of the university.

Sweaney was consistently recognized for her excellence in the classroom. Among her many accolades, she received the National Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences (1996) and was named the FACS Teacher of the Year on two occasions (1994-95; 2000-2001). In 1999, Sweaney was awarded the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorship, UGA’s highest teaching honor.

Sweaney also made an outsized impact through her support of the broader university community. She served for 17 years as a faculty representative on the UGA Athletic Association Board of Directors and played a foundational role in the success of countless UGA student-athletes. Both in her classroom and through her involvement with the UGAAA, Sweaney was fully invested in students and their future success, often working tirelessly behind the scenes to support graduates as they began their careers.

Since retiring, Sweaney has remained actively involved with the University of Georgia, serving on the UGA Emeriti Scholars and often seen at FACS events connecting faculty and staff with alumni and prospective students. In 2013, she was inducted into the FACS Honor Hall of Recognition, and in 2014 she received the UGA Faculty Service Award from the UGA Alumni Association.  

Sweaney’s dedication to excellence and insightful leadership left a lasting impact on her students, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and the University of Georgia.    

Founders Week

The President’s Medal ceremony is part of Founders Week, when UGA observes the date the university was established: Jan. 27. On that day in 1785, the Georgia General Assembly adopted a charter establishing the University of Georgia as the first institution of public higher education in America.