The Mid-American Conference announced that former Eastern Michigan men’s swimming and diving coach Mike Jones will be inducted into the 2016 Hall of Fame class on June 1.
Jones served as the Eagles head coach from 1967-1988 (21 years), and led EMU to three NAIA National Championships in 1969, ’70, and ’71, as well as a NCAA Division II National Championship in 1972.
Jones was a 1955 graduate of Eastern Michigan, and native of Detroit. He became an assistant coach under Bill Lewis in the 1966-67 season where the Eagles would win their first NAIA National Championship, totaling five national titles Jones was apart of at EMU.
In EMU’s jump to the division one level in the 1975-76 season, Jones kept the championships coming with nine straight Mid-American Conference titles from 1979-80 to 1987-88, which resulted in nine straight MAC Coach of the year awards.
EMU history books were rewritten with Jones’ name as he now ranks second all-time behind current head coach Peter Linn for most career wins. Jones went 177-50 overall in duals, and 103-12 against MAC opponents.
In 1989, Eastern Michigan announced that the EMU natatorium would be renamed to Jones Natatorium in honor of his great success at the helm of EMU.
Prior to coming to EMU, Jones coached at Hazel Park High School for six seasons (1960-66). The Detroit native was inducted into the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985 before retiring in 1988. He passed away on Nov. 4, 2009.
Also apart of the 2016 MAC Hall of Fame induction class is Patricia Bucher (Miami, OH, W swimming and diving), Sarah Powers Barnhard (WMU, volleyball), and Marcy Weston (CMU, administration).
