Dr. Tara Kirk Sell has been named the Charles McCaffree Award winner by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). This award, selected by the CSCAA’s Board of Directors, recognizes a swimming or diving graduate who has achieved outstanding success outside of the pool. Dr. Sell will be recognized at the 62nd Annual CSCAA College Swimming & Diving Awards on May 8th in Orlando, Florida.

“Many of us are aware of Dr. Sell’s accomplishments as a swimmer, but the McCaffree Award spotlights the impressive impact she is having through her work in the public health and biosecurity field.” said Executive Director Samantha Barany. “Tara demonstrates the spirit of the Charles McCaffree Award perfectly, and I am thrilled the CSCAA will recognize this outstanding community member for the work she is doing outside of the pool.”

As a student-athlete for Stanford University and internationally, Tara Kirk Sell was known as one of the most powerful breaststrokers of her time. Her swimming resume includes world and American records. She was a 16-time CSCAA All-American and an 11-time NCAA Champion. She was the first swimmer to win four straight NCAA titles in the 100-yard breaststroke and break the 58-second mark. She is an Olympic silver medalist and received a Bachelor's Degree in human biology and a Masters in anthropological sciences. In 2005 she was a Rhodes Scholar finalist. 

Dr. Sell recalls fond memories and great appreciation for her time as a student-athlete: “I think back on my time at Stanford as a time of great joy. There were things to get done, and I was doing them… I also loved the camaraderie of being with my team and, of course, the winning. You don't realize that there are not the same opportunities to win once you head out into the real world.” 

Following her time at Stanford, Dr. Sell completed her PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management, where she was a Sommer Scholar.  Her dissertation work focused on public policy responses to emerging epidemics. 

“I first became interested in public health and biosecurity when I took a course called Contagion and Conflict at Stanford and I learned about work that was being done to protect the country if there was ever an attack with a biological weapon. It seemed like an important topic and one that few people were paying attention to. Over the years, that has expanded to working on a variety of health security topics, including pandemics.​​”

Today, Dr. Sell is an Associate Professor with the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also a Senior Scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. 

Dr.  Sell identifies the people she worked alongside and the expertise could share as career highlights: “I was lucky enough to work at the Center for Health Security and join my long-time hero DA Henderson, who led the global program that eradicated Smallpox from the world. Also, testifying before Congress in March 2020 was definitely a career highlight. Even that event had ties to college swimming because the husband of one of my Stanford teammates was on the House committee I testified before.”  

Her work includes a focus on risk communication and health-related misinformation and disinformation. She researches to better understand potentially large-scale health events such as disease outbreaks, bioterrorism, natural disasters, or radiological/nuclear events. She also serves as an associate editor of the peer-reviewed journal Health Security.

When asked if she could share one message, she responded: “I am truly thankful to all the people who helped me along the way. I look back and wish that I could spend time with each person and tell them how much I appreciated everything they did for me and all the opportunities I got to enjoy because people were kind and generous with their time, effort, and support.”

Dr. Tara Kirk Sell is married to Dr. Greg Sell. They have two children Torin Sell, and Sennet Sell.

CSCAA members can register for the 62nd Annual Meetings and Awards Celebration at www.cscaa.org/meetings. All registrations include a ticket to the Award Ceremony and Post Celebration at the Hard Rock Cafe, Universal’s CityWalk. Questions can be directed to: all@cscaa.org

Previous Recipients

2022 - Victoria Gmelich, Dartmouth University 2020 - Roger Von Jouanne, Southern Illinois 1982, Walter Rogers, III, Southern Illinois 1962
2019 - Dr. Brian Casey, Notre Dame 1985
2018 - Carter Cast, Stanford 1985
2017 - Morgan Burke, Purdue University 1973
2016 - Brad Snyder, USNA 2006
2015 - Dr. James DeBord, Illinois 1969
2014 - John Davis, North Carolina 1991
2013 - Major Ray O’Donnell, Hawaii 2001, Dr. Steven Scott, Springfield 1972
2012 - Frank Comfort, Syracuse 1967
2011 - Adolph Kiefer, Texas 1939
2008 - R. Todd Ruppert, Kenyon 1978
2006 - Chuck Wielgus, Providence 1972
2005 - Rowdy Gaines, Auburn 1981
1998 - Pat Wall
1997 - Jody Durst, California 1968
1996 - Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., NC State 1974
1995 - Dr. Steve Rerych, Columbia 1969
1994 - Jim Veres
1993 - Dr. John Crecine, Michigan 1962
1992 - Robert Helmick, Drake 1957
1991 - Frank McKinney, Indiana 1961
1990 - 'Tiger' Holmes, Florida 1948
1989 - Charles Keating, Cincinnati 1966
1988 - William Simon, Lafayette 1952
1987 - Dave McCampbell, Navy 1933
1986 - Paul (Buddy) Bacha, Army West Pont 1965
1985 - Hal Henning, North Central 1941
1984 - Alvin Benedict, Rutgers 1948

About the CSCAA

Founded in 1922, the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) is the first professional association of college coaches in the United States.  The CSCAA is dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming and diving at the collegiate level. The CSCAA works to

• protect, promote and expand competitive intercollegiate swimming and diving programs; 

• recognize outstanding achievements by coaches, swimmers and divers;

• promote communication and cooperation within swimming and diving and with our partner National Governing Bodies, the NCAA, NAIA and Junior College Associations;

• provide ongoing educational and leadership training for coaches and athletes; and serve as a resource to its membership and for the general public.