In 13 years as head coach of the Columbia men's swimming team, Jim Bolster has forged a successful program which has captured one Eastern Swimming League title and one second place, while totally rewriting the Columbia record book. The Lions won the 1988-89 EISL championship (with Princeton) with an 8-1 record, and were second to the Tigers in 1989-90, posting a 7-2 mark.

More than 30 school records have been set since Bolster came to Columbia, 20 of them in the 1990's alone. His teams set a similar pattern of success at Ohio's Denison University - during his five years as head coach, Denison finished in the nation's Top 10 two consecutive years, placed seventh in the 1984 NCAA Division III Championships, and virtually rewrote the Big Red record book.

A native of Princeton, New Jersey, Bolster was one of the finest athletes in Denison history. Twice named the school's Most Valuable Swimmer, he won the 1976 NCAA Championships in the 200 butterfly, five conference titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly, and was a six-time NCAA Division III All-America. He also starred in soccer and lacrosse, earning four letters in each of the three sports. He was graduated in 1977. Selected in the first round of the 1977 North American Soccer League draft by the Connecticut Bicentennials, he played two years with Connecticut and Washington. He then utilized an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship and earned a master's degree from the University of Michigan.

Bolster thrives on athletic competition. He has developed into a world-class amateur triathlete, twice placing fifth in his age group in world championship races, and completing the Ironman distance race in Martha's Vineyard in the fall of 1994. Moving on from triathlons, Bolster has begun competitive cycle racing - he took ninth last summer in the prestigious Tour of Killington, a five-day stage bicycle race. In the summer of 1994, he summitted Washington's imposing Mt. Ranier.

Bolster lives in Manhattan with his wife, Sharon Rose Kelly, an exercise physiologist. Members of large families - he is one of 14 children, she is one of 12 - they gave birth to Jake Thomas Bolster on April 27, 1997.

Mail Jim: [email protected]