UIC Athletics

Sport: Swimming

Years: 2003-2007

Inducted: 2013

Booher starred in the pool for the Flames capturing eight Horizon League individual championships. He had an impressive streak of winning 28-consecutive races in the 50 freestyle and he captured the Horizon League title in the event three-straight seasons.

He was named the Horizon League Male Swimmer of the Year in 2007 after winning the individual title in the 100 freestyle, and spearheading relay championships in both the 200 and 400 free. Booher also qualified for the Olympic Trials.

Sport: Water Polo, Swimming & Diving; Coach

Years: 1965-1994

Inducted: 1994

Danner spent 30 years coaching the Flames in Swimming, Diving, and Water Polo. As the swim coach from 1967-94, he coached 32 All-Americans and twice had teams ranked in the top ten (1978-1979). He was a two time "Coach of the Year" by the Illinois Swimming Association and five time conference coach of the year.

Danner was the Diving coach from 1965 to 1977 and during that time he guided six divers for NCAA Championships and eight All-Americans. He also has the distinction of coaching UIC's first NCAA National Champion (Gary Dworski).

As a Water Polo coach, Danner guided his 1979 team to a 20-3 record finishing 6th in the NCAA. He coached three AAU All-Americans and in 1997 he was inducted into the Illinois Water Polo Association Hall of Fame.

Sport: Diving

Years: 1970-1974

Inducted: 1990

Dworski excelled on the diving board for the Chika's in the early 1970's and he has the distinction of being the first individual athlete at UICC to capture an NCAA championship. He won both the one-and two-meter competition at the 1971 NCAA Division II Championships. Dworski was also named UICC's Athlete of the Year during that season. A three-time All-American, he ranked 5th nationally on the one-meter board in 1972 and 7th in three-meter competition. His senior season he improved on his already stellar career by finishing as the national runner-up on the three-meter board and was fourth on the one-meter. He went undefeated in dual meets throughout his four years at UICC.

Sport: Diving

Years: 1963-1967

Inducted: 1993

Sport: Dean, Swim and Tennis Coach

Years: 1951-1993

Inducted: 1995

Kristufek served as the tennis coach from 1952 through 1964, winning 91 matches and the swimming coach from 1953 through 1967, capturing 96 meets. He had two of his tennis teams finish the season undefeated while three squads won the Gateway Conference Championship and his swim teams captured three Chicago Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Tournaments.

Kristufek's career as an administrator began in 1952 when he was appointed Assistant to the Director of Athletics, a position he held for ten years. He served in a number of positions within the School of Physical Education and in 1985 he was selected as Dean of the College. He was elected to the UIC Faculty Senate for 14 years and served on several other committees throughout his career. Kristufek retired from UIC in 1993 after 42 years of service.

Sport: Swimming

Years: 1957-1960

Inducted: 2000

Mackh was a two-time Most Valuable Swimmer for UIC. In his 29 career meets he captured 53 first-place finishes. Mackh set school records in the 60, 220 and 440 yard freestyle events as well as a member of two record setting freestyle relay teams. Mackh continued at UIC upon graduation, coaching the soccer team from 1963 to 1965, and returning to the sport he excelled at as the head coach for swimming from 1965 to 1975.

"Ralph was a team leader. He was a hard worker and used good judgment with dealing with other people. He was a very likable guy," said former swimming Coach Chuck Kristufek.

Sport: Track & Field, Cross Country, Swimming

Years: 1955-1958

Inducted: 1998

A multi-talented athlete who competed in three different sports in his years at the Navy Pier campus. Nestlinger held school records in the mile, 2-mile, high hurdles, 3-mile and 200 yard breaststroke. In 1958 he was voted Navy Pier Athlete of the Year. "Alan was the most versatile athlete in my fourteen years as Track and Field coach," said Sheldon Fordam.

Sport: Swimming

Years: 1988-1991

Inducted: 2003

During his four year career at UIC Smith was one of the premier swimmers in the Mid-Continent Conference. Smith dominated the 200 yard freestyle, capturing the conference championship each year and establishing a conference record in that span. In 1988 Smith was part of a school-record 800-yard freestyle relay team that earned the conference crown at a time of 6:50.44. That same year he represented his country Zimbabwe at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Sport: Swimming

Years: 1998-2002

Inducted: 2010

Torres began his career at UIC in 1998, by his sophomore year he was a strong competitor in the 400 IM. He won the MVP of the Midwest Collegiate Conference and qualified for the Olympic Trials. As a senior Torres not only achieved his personal goal of breaking four minutes in the 400 IM, but set a school record of 3:58.21.

Sport: Swimming & Diving

Years: 1991-1994

Inducted: 2002

Wilson was a large contributor to Bob Danner's early 1990's teams. Wilson, a former school record holder in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke also qualified for the 1992 Olympic Trials. In 1991, he was the Mid-Continent Conference champion in the 200 yard backstroke and the UIC Male Student-Athlete of the Year. In 1992, Wilson repeated as Male Student-Athlete of the Year, and was named to the GTE Academic All-American Team.

Sport: Swimming

Years: 1980-1983

Inducted: 1992

Zymantis has the distinction of being the first UIC swimmer to be inducted into the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame. During his career he dominated in the pool taking 35 first-place finishes out of 41 individual events. He helped lead the team to back-to-back Midwest Championships in 1982-83.

In his first season with the Flames, Zymantas was a member of the 400 yard freestyle team that represented UIC at the NCAA National Championships. Individual events such as the 200, 500, and the 1,650 freestyle events were the strongest for Zymantas. In the 82 season he set the record for the 1,650 free and in the Midwest Championships he won the 200 and 500 distances and was named the Most Valuable Swimmer of the championships.