Bruce Haffner '72 is the first and only men's swimmer to be inducted into the Ripon College Athletics Hall of Fame, earning the distinction in 2004. Originally a scholarship swimmer at the University of Oklahoma before transferring in the middle of his sophomore year, Haffner helped Ripon win back-to-back Midwest Conference Championships in 1971 and 1972, which remain as the only team championships in program history.

"I didn't know anyone at Ripon when I transferred in, but the other guys on the swim team filled that void quickly and soon I was a Phi Delt, playing sheepshead, and making a lot of new friends," Haffner said. "Swimming was fun because it taught me strategy and I learned that hard work pays off."

A conference champion in three different events and third division National qualifier, Haffner held school records in both the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle for more than 30 years. He was co-captain of the team in each of his two seasons with the team, while winning the S.N. Pickard Award as a Senior, given to the best all-around Ripon College male and female on the basis of athletic ability, scholarship, character, and college loyalty.

"Bruce was the best swimmer I coached during my 19 years as Ripon's swim coach," legendary coach Chuck Larson '65 said. "He could have won many more individual championships if we could have entered him in more events."

As it was, Haffner was a four-time conference champion. As a junior in 1971, he took first place in the 100 freestyle, and swam a leg on the winning 400 medley relay team. He followed that up as a senior in 1972 by defending his title in the 100 freestyle, while adding an MWC Championship in the 200 individual medley.

"I was the last swimmer on the last relay of the MWC championships during my senior year and if we finished in at least third place, we would win our second consecutive team conference championship," Haffner recalled. "Lawrence's team ended up being disqualified in that race, so all we had to do was not get disqualified and Coach Larson knew that if I had a safe start and finish, we would win. I saw the DQ and knew Coach wanted to tell me as I saw him waving, but I pretended I didn't see him. He quickly gave up on the waving and decided he was going to get close enough for me to hear him. I watched him through the edge of one eye as he made it to end of the pool. I turned to face him squarely and as our eyes met, I smiled and gave him the "ok" gesture with both hands and we won the championship."

After living in the Chicagoland area for many years, Haffner and his wife Mary currently resides in Hope, Maine where he teaches chess to kids in grades K-8. Since moving to Maine in 2016, Haffner's teams have won state every year. This past year, he coached eight of the top nine chess players at the State Tournament.

Haffner has two children, Will and Claire, both of whom graduated from the University of Chicago.


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