California State University Northridge Athletics
CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2009
Dr. Barbara Swerkes was inducted into the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. Swerkes coached the AIAW National Championship women's track & field teams in 1978, 1979, and 1980. Her teams captured conference titles from 1977-80. Several of her former student-athletes still hold school records.
In her eight years as women's track & field coach at CSUN, Swerkes trained some of the brightest stars to emerge in American track & field history. Many of those former CSUN student-athletes went on to Olympic glory.
During her CSUN career, Swerkes' impressive list of student-athlete success includes Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Alice Brown, Jeannette Bolden, Julie Brown, Pam Spencer-Marquez, Jodi Anderson, Kathy Weston, Sandra Howard, Sandy Myers, and Sue Kinsey.
Swerkes was succeeded by fellow Hall of Famer Don Strametz as head coach of the track & field teams at CSUN.
Following her retirement as women's track & field coach, Swerkes served as Faculty Athletic Representative for many years and was a dedicated Professor of Kinesiology at CSUN starting in 1971, eventually earning the title of Professor Emeritus of Kinesiology.
Swerkes earned her bachelor's degree from Montclair State College in 1964, her master's from The Ohio State University in 1967, and her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in 1972.
