CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois 1955 varsity swimming letterwinner Ray Essick III passed away at the age of 82 surrounded by family. Essick swam with the Illini under head coach Allen B. Klingel.

Essick was named to the "30 Most Influential People in Swimming over the Past 30 Years" list last summer, and was also a 2015 inductee into the American Swim Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was awarded the 1998 USA Swimming Award and the American Red Cross presented him in 1997 with the Good Neighbor Award, one of the highest national awards given to an outstanding volunteer.

In 1960, Essick started Lake Forest Swim Club as head coach before leaving in 1966 to become head swim coach at Southern Illinois University. After a successful seven-year stint there, he was hired as head swim coach at Harvard University, where he guided the Crimson from 1973-76.

Following his time in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Essick led the swimming committee for the AAU until 1980. Beginning in 1980, Essick joined USA Swimming in Colorado Springs upon its formation as its first Executive Director. Essick guided the organization from its formation in 1980 until his retirement in 1997, when current Executive Director Chuck Wielgus took over.

 "Ray Essick led our sport through a period of enormous growth and prosperity," said current USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus. "He brought his passion as a coach and his drive for success to his role as USA Swimming's first executive director. He was a mentor and a dear friend."

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