- With the Long Beach State men’s water polo team rising in NCAA rankings, the university has added a series of renovations to the campus pool, which included renaming it the Kenneth E. Lindgren Aquatics Center on November 6.
Lindgren coached the men’s water polo team for over 24 years at LBSU, and also coached the USA men’s and women’s Olympic teams, according to a university press release.
Lindgren’s love for LBSU was manifested by the large endowment he gave to The Beach before he died in 2011. LBSU Athletic Director Vic Cegles said the $800,000 Lindgren left the athletic program played a role in the pool’s renaming.
“We felt like it would be a nice thing to do for Ken after everything he did,” Cegles said.
Before anything could be done, however, Cegles needed the go-ahead from LBSU administrators and the CSU board of trustees.
Lindgren guided LBSU to seven NCAA appearances, coached 34 All-Americans and seven Olympic team members.
On the night of the special dedication, many of Lindgren’s supporters showed up at The Beach to show their support for the 49er legend. Cegles also said that Lindgren was well respected throughout Southern California for his contributions and dedication to the sport.
“It’s a very strong sport in Southern California,” Cegles said. “We had all his supporters and supporters of the sport come out to The Beach the day we dedicated the pool to Ken.”
Some of the new renovations at the aquatic complex include a video scoreboard, two light towers and refurbished bleachers that have been filled to capacity at several LBSU home games this season.
Head coach Gavin Arroyo said the new improvements have elevated the experience of being at the campus pool.
“It’s like you’re dreaming,” Arroyo said. “It’s finally starting to look like an aquatic center and not a public pool. The stands had fiber-glass on them and if you sat on them you got fiber-glass on your backside.”
For recruiting purposes, Cegles said the new renovations had to be done in order to attract new student-athletes to The Beach and to maintain the tradition that Lindgren created.
“In today’s world, facilities attract young, smart students,” Cegles said. “We’re telling young people that we are committed to being the best we can be.”
The Campus Pool originated when the LBSU men’s water polo program was established in 1956. In 1959, the team collected its first California Collegiate Athletic Association championship.
“There’s a rich tradition in LBSU water polo,” Arroyo said. “The renovations have allowed us to live up to those traditions. I’ve got big shoes to fill; this community and the athletic department expects us to be top-notch.”
Senior utility and team captain Devin Mefford appreciates the new improvements to the pool deck, saying the officials wouldn’t have to stop the games anymore in order to fix a malfunction.
“Look at it,” Mefford said. “We have lights and a scoreboard. The pool would literally stop working every game, and we would have to stop the whole entire game to fix something.”
Mefford, who will play in his final Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game this weekend at the MPSF Championships, said the new additions would attract future 49ers to The Beach.
“Now, this is not only a huge recruiting tool,” Mefford said. “This is going to be the next level thing. It’s what we needed.”
LBSU hosted Loyola Marymount on Thursday under the new lights. The 49ers dominated LMU 15-6 on Senior Night. Mefford scored three goals that game and attributed a lot of the 49ers success this season towards the legacy that Lindgren created.
“We called him ‘Pops,’” Mefford said. “Even in his passing, you knew he loved LBSU water polo, and he knew what was good for us. ‘Pops’ is LBSU water polo; he is the past, present and future.”