NCAA Division II national champion, international standout Tomas Kuzvard joins Swimming & Diving staff

Kuzvard comes to Ohio Northern after three seasons as a graduate assistant at Drury, where he helped the DU men win their seventh consecutive Division II national and the women win their third straight national crown.

A native of the Czech Republic, Kuzvard is a 9-time NCAA Division II national champion and a 21-time All-American at Drury (Mo.) University.

He was a member of the Czech National Team from 1996-2005 and won multiple  Czech National Champion titles in Long course and Short Course in events 100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke, 200 IM, and 400 IM.

Kuzvard also participated in the European Swimming Championships, Summer Universiade Games, World Military Games and the FINASwimming World Cup.

In 2008, he received the Dr. Edsel Matthews Award, given annually to Drury's top male senior student athlete. 

Kuzvard graduated from Drury University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise and Sport Science.

He then went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Communication-Integrated Marketing in 2011 from Drury.

Kuzvard also has Bachelor equivalent degree from Charles University in Praque, Czech Republic, in Physical Education and Sport Science.

"Tomas is a huge addition to our program," ONU's eighth-year head coach Peggy Ewald said. "He is an experienced elite athlete and brings a wealth of information into the program with both in the poll and land training. We are very excited to have him on our staff."

Ohio Northern will open its 2011-12 campaign under eighth-year head coach Peggy Ewald on Saturday, Oct. 29 with a 1 pm home meet against Ohio Athletic Conference rival John Carroll.