Roy Saari

University of Southern California He attended the University of Southern California and swam for the USC Trojans swimming and diving team under Hall of Fame Coach Peter Daland, captaining the team in 1966. He also competed on USC'S water polo team, where he lettered in water polo in 1963 and in 1965-66, and won All American water polo honors in each of the three years he competed. He played water polo at the national level during some of his collegiate years. While a swimmer at USC, Robert Saari matched Jack Medica’s NCAA record of winning nine individual events in NCAA competition, which consisted of winning three events in three successive years. He also was on two NCAA championship relay teams in swimming. He graduated from USC in 1967.

In national championships, he won AAU national events from the 100 yard relay distance to 3 miles in freestyle events, and as a multi-stroke athlete, won a national championship in the 400m Individual Medley.

Non-olympic international competition In international competition, he won gold medals at the Budapest, Hungary Universiade in 1965 in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay and the 4x200 meter freestyle relay. At the Sao Paulo, Brazil, Pan American Games in 1963, Roy won a gold medal in both the 400 meter freestyle event and the 1500 meter freestyle event. Roy and Sheryl had two children and several grandchildren that survived him. In 1982, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.