Swanson, who is in his 25th season as the head coach of the MVNU women’s volleyball team and his 26th year at the NAIA level overall, has compiled an overall record of 862-307 (.737 winning percentage) to sit atop the NAIA’s all-time win list in women’s volleyball.

“This is an incredible honor for me personally and for our program and I am humbled by it,” said Swanson. “I really don’t think of it as something that I have done, but this recognition really belongs to all of the players who have played for us over the years. They have each contributed to make what I think is a Hall of Fame program here at MVNU.”

“I am really proud of what we have accomplished over the years and how we have done it,” Swanson added. “Our teams have represented themselves, our institution, our conference and the NAIA, and the Lord extremely well, and I am very blessed to have been a part of this. While winning is important to me, watching players succeed in life is even more rewarding.”

“Coach Swanson has demonstrated outstanding service throughout his tenure at MVNU and we are fortunate to have him as a member of the MVNU community,” wrote Dr. Daniel J. Martin, MVNU’s President, in his letter of recommendation to the NAIA Hall of Fame committee. “Not only does Paul exhibit all the professional criteria required for this award, his influence with students and campus personnel has contributed to the MVNU mission of shaping lives through educating the whole person and cultivating Christ-likeness for lifelong learning and service.”

Scott Flemming, MVNU’s Director of Athletics, echoed those sentiments: “While achieving all this success, Paul has made a significant impact on the young ladies he has coached. I have observed that he has intentionally made it a point to develop his student-athletes’ character as well as their athletic ability. He is a man of unchanging moral character, a dedicated family man, and a person of strong Christian faith.”

Over the past 24 years, Swanson has guided MVNU to seven conference titles, 16 National Christian College Athletic Association region championships, and 16 trips to the NCCAA National Tournament. The Lady Cougars have won 30 or more matches in each of the past 15 seasons, topped the 40-win mark during seven of those years, and recorded 50-plus wins twice.

In 2007, Swanson led MVNU to a 39-5 overall record and an American Mideast Conference South Division title with an 11-1 mark as he was named the NAIA Region IX Coach of the Year. The Lady Cougars finished the year ranked No. 13 in the final NAIA poll - the highest ranking in school history - and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in the program’s illustrious history.

Swanson has led his teams to the NAIA Region Tournament for 14 straight seasons with the Lady Cougars advancing to the championship match six times (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2007). During the decade of the 1990s, MVNU posted an incredible 122-9 home record that included a 70-match home winning streak that was the NAIA national record at the time. The 2007 team also went 19-0 in the Physical Education Center for the best home record in one season in school history.

In his tenure at MVNU, Swanson has developed eight NAIA All-Americans, 20 NCCAA All-Americans, one NCCAA National Player of the Year, and three conference Players of the Year. He has also had 14 NAIA Scholar-Athletes and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Among his many honors, Swanson has been selected as the conference Coach of the Year five times and named the NCCAA region Coach of the Year 15 times including earning both awards in 2007. He was also featured in Sports Illustrated in the “Faces in the Crowd” section of the October 6, 1997 issue. He was selected to the NCCAA Hall of Fame in 2005 and the MVNU Cougar Wall of Fame in 2006. He also received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2002 - the highest honor that MVNU confers on individual faculty members.

Several coaches from opposing teams both in and outside the AMC also contributed to Swanson’s selection. In addition to talking about Swanson’s abilities and success as a coach, they all mentioned aspects of his character that fit hand-in-hand with the NAIA’s Champions of Character program.

“Paul’s teams consistently win year after year and his coaching success is clearly evident,” said Malone College coach Tanya Hockman. “Still, I consider the nearly 300 athletes he has coached as the greatest indicator of his success. He has modeled the core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and sportsmanship with consistency and passion.”

“Paul knows how to inspire people to be better,” said Indiana Wesleyan University coach Candace Moats. “He lives his life and sport with a fire and enthusiasm that communicates passion, sensitivity, and love for people. They, in turn, become just as enthusiastic, just as ready and willing to give their all, and just as fired-up and inspired to live their lives as better people as well. I have always felt like I walk away a different person after spending time with Paul.”

Swanson becomes the third MVNU person to be named to the NAIA Hall of Fame as he joins Dr. Lora Donoho (General Meritorious Service in 1986) and Tim Belcher (Baseball Meritorious Service in 2004). He is joined in the class of 2008-2009 by former MVNU baseball coach Sam Riggleman who is currently coaching at his alma mater, Spring Arbor (Mich.) University.

The complete 2008-2009 NAIA Hall of Fame class includes: Mike Clary, National Association of Collegiate Directors of America (Meritorious Service); Patrick Clemens, Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) University (Men’s Soccer - Meritorious Service); Paul Swanson, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) University (Women’s Volleyball - Coach); Fernanda Vivancos Nelson, National American (S.D.) University (Women’s Volleyball - Athlete); Robert F. Shoup, California Lutheran University (Football - Coach); Jerry Tolley, Elon (N.C.) University (Football - Meritorious Service); Mike Lightfoot, Bethel (Ind.) College (Men’s Basketball - Coach); Paul Bartlett, Northwestern (Iowa) College (Wrestling - Meritorious Service); Ben Foster, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) University (Men’s Golf - Coach); Dave Bingham, Emporia State (Kan.) University (Baseball - Coach); James Kenneth Sparks, Carson-Newman (Tenn.) College (Football - Coach); Steve Ridder, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical (Fla.) University (Men’s Basketball - Coach); and Sam Riggleman, Spring Arbor (Mich.) University (Baseball - Coach).

“The NAIA Hall of Fame recognizes the remarkable contributions of student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators,” said Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO. “These men and women are proven competitors, teachers, mentors, and wonderful representatives of character-driven intercollegiate athletics. The NAIA is thrilled to celebrate their work and storied careers.”

Individuals inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame must be persons of outstanding quality, high moral character, fine leadership ability, and must be held in high esteem by their colleagues, former coaches, and former athletes. The Hall of Fame consists of a division for each sport currently or formerly sponsored by the NAIA and a division for general meritorious service to the NAIA. Each sport division is divided into three categories: athlete, coach, and meritorious service.

Swanson will be inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame on December 1 in Sioux City, Iowa, in conjunction with the NAIA Volleyball National Championship.