George Breen, Olympic medalist and former Penn swimming coach, died on November 9 after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 84. 

A native of Buffalo, New York, Mr. Breen attended SUNY Cortland and earned a master’s in education from Indiana University. He did not begin his competitive swimming career until his freshman year at Cortland. While there, he was guided by legendary coach Doc Counsilman. He went on to be a 22-time national champion who established six world records during his career.

Mr. Breen was a member of the 1956 and 1960 Olympic teams and served as captain of Team USA in 1960. In 1956, he set a world record in the preliminaries of the 1500 freestyle but settled for the bronze medal, and he also won a bronze medal in the 400 freestyle and a silver medal as a member of the 800 freestyle relay. In the 1960 Olympics, he won another bronze in the 1500 free. A year earlier, at the Pan American Games, Mr. Breen was the gold medalist in the 400 freestyle and the silver medalist in the 1500 freestyle. He was a three-time All-American and was a  national champion 15 times between 1955 and 1960.

Mr. Breen went on to coach the Vesper’s Swim Club before coming to Penn. He was the coach of the University of Pennsylvania men’s swimming team 1966-1982 and was also supervisor of aquatics, in charge of both the men’s and women’s programs. During that time, “Penn swimming was more successful than at any other time in the sport’s history at the University,” according to records in his file. His wife, Nancy, was the Penn women’s swimming coach. 

He was also coach and manager of several US National teams, was appointed head manager of the 1980 US Olympic team, and served as a television commentator. 

His other achievements included serving as president of the American Swimming Coaches Association, chair of the USA Swimming Olympic International Operations Committee, a Board of Directors member for Middle Atlantic Swimming and a member of the USA Swimming Board of Directors as Coach Vice President of USA Swimming. He was also inducted into several halls of fame: the American Swimming Coaches Association, Cortland State and the Helms Foundation. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1975.