In August 2001, Jim Halliburton brought his lofty prep credentials into his first college position as he became the head coach at Saint Louis University. Halliburton left the head coaching position at Marquette High School to take the reins of the Billiken program. Halliburton's understanding of and involvement in prep swimming paid off immediately in recruiting for the Billikens. After both the men's and women's teams were winless in his first season, the first-time college coach put together a team that went a combined 48-2 in 2006-07. The women's squad went unbeaten in dual-meet competition for three straight seasons, winning 61 consecutive duals. Additionally, the women have broken 21 of 24 school records and the men have eclipsed 22 of 24 school marks during Halliburton's tenure. Prior to the revitalization at SLU, Halliburton turned around swim programs at the Rockwood Swim Club, Marquette High School and the Missouri Athletic Club Summer League. His longest tenure was as the head coach of the Rockwood Swim Club, where from 1985 to 2006 he took a program with 38 swimmers and turned it into a national-champion squad comprised of 500 swimmers. Halliburton's Marquette team won three state championships in his last four seasons. In just two seasons with the MAC Summer League team, Halliburton took a team that did not win a meet in 1999 to a conference championship in 2001. He was named U.S. National Team Coach three times and Region 8 Coach of the Year six times. Halliburton has coached two world-record holders and 20 swimmers in the Olympic Trials. Two of his swimmers have competed in the Olympic Games. More than 50 swimmers training under him have ranked in the top 16 in the United States in their age group, and eight of them were ranked No. 1. As a competitor, Halliburton was a member of the United States National Team from 1978 to 1982 and was team captain in his final season with the squad. A former American record holder, he was twice ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100-meter butterfly. At Indiana University, Halliburton was a seven-time Big Ten champion and broke Mark Spitz's Big Ten record in the 100 fly. He was also a four-time NCAA All-American. Halliburton graduated from Indiana with a bachelor of science degree in physical education in1982. He is a 1977 graduate of Ladue High School in St. Louis. He and his wife, Joanne, have two children, Kaleigh and T.J. |
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