CLARION — Mark Vandyke knows how to coach men and women to success in Division II collegiate swimming.

He also knows that he's not the only one responsible.

VanDyke, a 1975 graduate of Seneca Valley High School and current men's and women's coach at Clarion University, was recently named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women's Swimming Coach of the Year for the second time in the past three seasons. He also won the award in 2004.

"To win this award again, it's fantastic," said VanDyke, 49. "But a lot of the credit goes to my two assistants — Christina Tillotson and diving coach Dave Hrovat. I hate to even call them my assistants. We think of ourselves as co-coaches."

Clarion's women finished the 2005-06 season with a dual meet record of 9-3, won the PSAC team title by dethroning defending champ West Chester and placed 11th at the NCAA Division II national meet.

It is the latest accomplishment for VanDyke, who has fielded solid squads since taking over both teams before the 2000-01 campaign.

Since then, Clarion's men have compiled a dual meet record of 35-17 while the women are even better at 45-15.

Along with adding to the Golden Eagles' winning tradition, VanDyke has become the latest mentor of a very stable program.

He is just the third coach in the men's program's 36-year history and the fifth coach for the women's team, which got off the ground in the mid-'70s.

"That's one of the best things about the programs here, the stability," said VanDyke. "We get so much support from the university's president on down."

VanDyke followed in the footsteps of Bill Miller, who was the coach at Seneca Valley in the mid-'70s when VanDyke was winning events for the Raiders in the 100 backstroke, individual medley and distance events.

Then, after graduation and a stint at the University of South Florida, VanDyke transferred to Clarion, where he was reunited with Miller.

VanDyke helped the Golden Eagles to four straight PSAC titles, at one time holding school records in the 100 and 200 backstroke and the 200 and 400 individual medley events.

VanDyke wound up coaching swimming at two high schools near San Antonio for six seasons before rejoining Miller as an assistant at Clarion in 1989.

"Clarion was the only job I would have left San Antonio for," said VanDyke. "The success here is due to three things: tradition, support from the school and the fact that Clarion is a pretty good academic school. We're able to bring in some pretty good kids."

VanDyke lives with his wife Cindy, daughter Melissa and son David in Shippenville.

Butler County athletes in the Clarion University program include swimmers James Rankin (Knoch) and Casey Kapac (Knoch) and diver Liz Rhodaberger (Butler).