Rafael Forti Selected to Resurrect Swimming - NAIA OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Rafael Forti has been tabbed to resurrect the Union College men's and women's swimming programs as he has recently been named the head coach, Director of Athletic Darin Wilson announced.

"It is very exciting to bring swimming back to Union College. We have many alums all over the country that have somehow been touched by our swimming program," Wilson said. "Rafael Forti is a natural fit for the position. His organizational and recruiting skills will serve him well in this new role."

Swimming has not been sponsored at Union since the 1999-00 season.

Forti is no stranger to the Bulldog swimming program, having been a member of the 1999-00 squad. The Campinas, Brazil native was also a four-year member of the men's soccer team. He not only succeeded on the field but also in the classroom earning him such honors as three-time Academic All-Conference, and a member of the 2002 NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete. Forti also graduated Suma Cum Laude and was the 2004 Salutatorian.

In 2004, Forti served as an assistant coach for the Bulldog men's soccer team.

"I'm pretty comfortable with (coaching swimming) since I competed since I was five-years old in Brazil and at Union," he said.

"It will be challenging because we don't have a core group (of swimmers) coming back; we'll be starting from scratch," Forti added. "But it will be exciting to be able to build a program with my face on it. There's a lot of freedom in getting to start from scratch."

Union will begin competition in 2005-06 season.