Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

“He loved swimming the Lake Berryessa Swim and other local swims,” said Olympic swim coach Chris Morgan of Dr. Rand Schaal, a professor and swimmer on the masters swimming program at UC Davis. “He was a great guy who was passionate about swimming.”

It showed.

Among his numerous philanthropic activities, he donated US$1.4 million in 1988 to his alma mater University of California Davis. Nicknamed Moon Dude for his speciality in lunar rocks within his field of geology, US$1 million of his gift was earmarked for a new 50m pool on campus.

“Dr. Schaal swam with the Davis Aquatic Masters where we swam together at the masters swimming program. It is wonderful that his legacy lives with the pool for the future student body at UC Davis,” recalls Morgan.

His donation — the largest to the university athletic program at that time — spearheaded the 1999 Facilities and Campus Enhancement Initiative that ultimately lead to the Schaal Aquatics Center, Aggie Stadium, and the Activities & Recreation Center.

Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association