BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — For longtime fans of water polo the name Wynn Paul is familiar as he served as swimming and water polo coach at the University of Kentucky.
Yes, water polo, as Paul coached the squad from 1965-82, tallying a sterling 140-66 record, prior to the formation of women’s swimming and the discontinuation of men’s water polo in 1983.
A 2003 inductee to the Kentucky Swimming, Diving & Water Polo Hall of Fame, Paul became the aquatic director at Kentucky in 1991 after serving 27 seasons as the head men’s swimming coach at UK and starting the women’s swimming program. Paul amassed a 135-61 dual meet record with the men while registering a 48-30 record on the women’s side.
While at Kentucky, he founded the group that became Wildcat Aquatics, which is the oldest swim team in Central Kentucky. Paul founded the group in 1962 as the Greater Lexington Swim Association (GLSA). In 1974 the team assumed the name Lexington Thoroughbred Swim Team (LTST) and later became Wildcat Aquatics.
Paul has served as meet director for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Swimming & Diving Championships, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Zone “B” qualifying meet, the World Games Diving Trials, the Kentucky High School Championships, the Kentucky Special Olympics and the Kentucky United States Swimming Championships.
A renowned model aircraft builder with multiple articles published on design and other issues in the hobby field, he almost made history in 1967 – and a potential significant investment – by purchasing a World War II fighter to use at the National Air Races – a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920.
He notes, “In 1967, I took my University of Kentucky swim team to Gainesville, Florida, for the Conference Championships. At the airport, sitting in the middle of the field, was a Corsair F4-U fighter in flying condition. The asking price was $5,000. I returned to Lexington determined to raise $100,000 to put the Corsair back in shape, find a pilot, name the ship Miss Lexington, and take it to the National Air Races. A pilot and an ex-Corsair mechanic were found but I could raise only about $50,000 in pledges, and that wouldn’t have been enough to win.” The plane would be worth in 2022 approximately $4.5 million.
