A Texas trailblazer as a champion diver, SMU women’s head swimming and diving coach, and a lifelong career as a multi-sport athlete and coach. Coached by her father, TSDHOF legend Carl Loock, Veris began swimming in 1948. In her formative years, she performed in numerous diving events alongside her TSDHOF honoree brother and sister Cal and Christine. In 1963 she was awarded the Lillie Kneip Trophy by the Southwest AAU as the most outstanding girl swimmer and the only diver to ever win the award. She won every TAGS diving title from age 10 to Open and was an eight-time Southwest AAU Diving Champion. She taught and coached swimming and diving at Fort Worth Country Clubs, Panther Boy’s Club, Burfurd Swim Club, Dr. Pepper Diving, and the summer diving program at SMU. As a Master’s diver she won both the one- and three-meter Texas Masters age group diving titles in 1976 and 1977 and the US Masters title in three-meter in 1977.

Veris was the head Swimming and Diving coach at SMU from 1977-1982 and the first woman to coach a Southwest Conference swimming team, having 21 athletes earn 80 all-American awards. Her 1982 team finished seventh in the final AIAW National Championship. She served as Texas AIAW sports director for swimming, president-elect of the National Collegiate Women’s Swim Coaches Association, and assisted with the transition from the AIAW to the NCAA as a governing body. Since her days at SMU, Vicki has spent a lifetime as an advocate for physical fitness as a Level 3 US Masters coach, champion triathlete, swimmer, mentor, mother, and grandmother. She lives in Lake Tahoe alongside her husband of more than 40 years, former world class swimmer Andy Veris.