Wayde Mulhern
We are not sure when Wayde starting swimming, but we do know he was a member of the Nicolet High School swim team in Glendale Wisconsin from 1975 to 1977. His senior year, while swimming butterfly and backstroke, the team finished second in the Wisconsin State Championships. After high school he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin – Lacrosse, where he competed in swimming from 1977- 1981. When he graduated, Wayde held school records in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke and as a member of the 400-medley relay.
After college graduation he began his coaching career as the assistant to his college coach at UW Lacrosse. This led Wayde to the position of assistant coach for the Centennial High School Girls swim team in Circle Pines, Minnesota from 1985 to 1993. In 1994, he was promoted to the head coach position. He had a very successful coaching career at Centennial over the next ten years. Such included conference titles in both swimming and academics and being named Section Coach of the Year. Wayde started swimming and competing as a MN Masters in 1985. That year he earned his first placement on the USMS national Top Ten list for his 200 back swim.
Over the next eighteen years, besides numerous State Records, he landed 30 more Top Ten placements in back, breast, free and individual medley. Wayde also participated in many National and World events over the years. In 1994, at the Montreal World Championship, he finished 2nd in the 100 meter backstroke, 3rd in the 200 meter back and 10th in the 200 meter breaststroke. Other interesting world competitions included the 2000 Nova Scotia Canadian Masters Championship (Three top ten finishes); the 2000 World Master Championship – Munich Germany (Three top 20 finishes); and the 2002 World Masters Championship – New Zealand (Medaled in three of six events). Wayde was very active in running the Minnesota Masters program for several years before his un-timely death at the young age of 44, (Wayde passed away on June 22, 2003).
He organized and ran just about every meet held, as well as continuing to compete. One of Wayde’s favorite things to do was to swim every event in a meet. He accomplished this feat many times. (Guess the 5 event limit did not apply to Wayde) Minnesota Masters hosted two Long Course National Championship at the University of Minnesota Natatorium in the 1990’s. Wayde was co-meet director with Paul Windrath. For his efforts, in 1993, United States Masters Swimming awarded Wayde a “National Championship Meet Award”. Later in 1998, USMS honored Wayde with the “Dorothy Donnelly Service Award” for his superior volunteer efforts for the organization. Wayde had a knack for winning any race he really wanted to win.
Some races did not matter to him. But when it came to the big race, Wayde always seemed to have whatever speed he needed to win that race. We will always remember Wayde for his huge contributions to Minnesota Masters swimming, for his competitive spirit and for the swimming and coach dominance he expressed. His spirit remains with us all.
