December 9, 2025 – The finalists for the National Collegiate and Scholastic Trophy were announced today by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). The trophy is awarded by both the CSCAA and National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA). It is the highest honor in intercollegiate and interscholastic swimming & diving, and is awarded to the individual who has made “the greatest contribution to swimming and diving as a competitive sport, and as a healthful, recreational activity in the province of undergraduate and scholastic education.”
Dave Parrington, Mark Bernardino, and Wally Morton have been selected as the three finalists. Each has demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing excellence both in and out of the pool, and their impact on student-athletes and their respective programs is truly remarkable. The winner will be chosen by CSCAA member coaches and honored at the 65th Annual CSCAA College Swimming & Diving Awards on May 3rd during the Annual Meetings in Chicago, Illinois.
The Nominees
Mark Bernardino: Virginia, South Carolina, NC State
With a coaching career spanning nearly five decades, Mark Bernardino stands as one of the most accomplished and influential figures in collegiate swimming. His leadership has played a pivotal role in NC State securing six ACC team titles and 12 NCAA top-eight finishes, including a pair of top-four results for the men and a national runner-up performance for the women in 2021. Prior to joining the Wolfpack, Bernardino built a dynasty at the University of Virginia, where he served as head coach from 1978 to 2013, capturing 27 ACC team titles and earning an unprecedented 31 ACC Coach of the Year awards. His impact continued during his tenure as associate head coach at South Carolina from 2014 to 2018, further solidifying his legacy as one of the sport’s most respected leaders.
Bernardino’s coaching excellence extends to the international stage, where he had been an integral member of multiple USA National Team staffs. He served as head coach at the World University Games twice, contributed to Pan American Games teams in 2011 and 2023, and coached at the USA Olympic Festival and Junior National Team camps. He has guided swimmers to seven NCAA titles, three NCAA records, and multiple Olympic appearances, coaching athletes who went on to win gold medals on the world’s biggest stage. Over his career, Bernardino has coached more than 120 first-team NCAA All-Americans, and more than 180 ACC titles. A member of several halls of fame and a former CSCAA president, Bernardino’s legacy is defined by sustained championship success, international impact, and a lifelong commitment to elevating every athlete and program he touches.
Wally Morton: Cleveland State
Wally Morton’s 39-year tenure at Cleveland State University stands as one of the most accomplished coaching careers in collegiate swimming and diving. Leading the Vikings from 1981 to 2014, Morton built CSU into a regional and national presence, guiding his teams to 20 conference championships and an extraordinary 44 winning seasons. The winningest coach in university history with 377 career victories, he collected nine Coach of the Year honors and oversaw athletes who set hundreds of pool, school, and league records. Under his leadership, CSU swimmers and divers earned 14 Penn-Ohio Championships, multiple conference titles in both the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and Horizon League, and sustained success that included 11 men’s and six women’s league records.
Morton’s impact extended beyond team success to individual excellence and academic achievement. He coached five swimmers and one diver to the NCAA Championships, highlighted by Jakub Dobies becoming CSU and Horizon League’s first-ever All-American in 2009. His programs accumulated 64 Mid-Major All-America awards, while the women’s team experienced a dramatic revival under his leadership, posting 70 wins over his final seven seasons. Equally committed to academic integrity, Morton’s teams earned a combined 57 CSCAA Scholar All-America honors, with 27 Academic All-Americans and multiple university and conference community outreach awards. His legacy at Cleveland State is defined by sustained competitive excellence, holistic student-athlete development, and an unwavering commitment to elevating every facet of the program.
Dave Parrington concluded an extraordinary 35-year tenure as Tennessee’s longest-serving coach, retiring as the most decorated diving coach in SEC history. Since joining the program in 1990, Parrington transformed Tennessee diving into a national powerhouse, guiding Vols and Lady Vols to nine NCAA championships, 47 SEC titles, and 30 NCAA top-three finishes. His leadership produced 34 All-Americans, 19 SEC Divers of the Year, 11 SEC Freshmen of the Year, and three CSCAA National Divers of the Year, while earning him a conference-record 16 SEC Coach of the Year honors and the 2013 CSCAA National Women’s Diving Coach of the Year award. Under his direction, Tennessee became one of the nation’s most consistently elite diving programs.
Beyond collegiate success, Parrington made a lasting impact on the international stage, coaching Olympians, world championship medalists, and national champions from around the globe. He led Zimbabwe’s Olympic diving team in 1996 and 2000, served as head coach for Team USA at the 2014 FINA World Series, and played a pivotal role in securing Knoxville as host of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Diving Trials. A former Olympian himself, Parrington’s expertise, mentorship, and trademark competitive spirit shaped generations of student-athletes and elevated Tennessee’s presence on the world stage. His legacy, defined by excellence, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to his athletes will remain deeply embedded in the program for years to come.
How to Vote
Only CSCAA Member-coaches are eligible to vote. Each member may vote one time and ballots are open now through December 19th, 2025.
Previous Award Winners
2025 – Adam Soldati, Purdue University
2024 – Steve Collins, Southern Methodist University
2023 – Peter Hovland, Oakland University
2022 – Nic Askew, Howard University
2020 – Joel Shinofield, CSCAA/USA Swimming
2019 – Eddie Sinnott, Southern Methodist University
2018 – Peter Linn, Eastern Michigan University
2017 – Susan Teeter, Princeton University & Kris Kubik, University of Texas
2016 – Gregg Wilson, University of California, Santa Barbara
2015 – Jon Howell, Emory University
2014 – Tim Welsh, University of Notre Dame
2013 – Matt Kredich, University of Tennessee
2012 – Ron Ballatore, University of California, Los Angeles/ University of Florida
2011 – Gregg Parini, Denison University
2010 – Gregg Troy, University of Florida
2009 – Frank Keefe, Yale University
2008 – Greg Earhart, SwimCloud
2007 – Don Megerle, Tufts University
2006 – Don Gambril, University of Alabama
2005 – Frank Busch, University of Arizona
2004 – Jon Urbanchek, University of Michigan
2003 – David Marsh, Auburn University
2002 – Teri McKeever, University of California, Berkeley
2001 – Richard Quick, Stanford University
2000 – David Marsh, Auburn University
1999 – Jean Freeman, University of Minnesota
1998 – Jack Bauerle, University of Georgia
1997 – Dr. Samuel J Freas, International Swimming Hall of Fame
1996 – Jon Urbanchek, University of Michigan
1995 – Jim Steen, Kenyon College
1994 – Don Easterling, North Carolina State University
1993 – Eddie Reese, University of Texas
1992 – Ernie Maglischo, California State University, Bakersfield
1991 – Nort Thornton, University of California, Berkeley
1990 – Hoble Billingsley, Indiana University
1989 – Phil Hansel, University of Houston
1988 – John Higgins, US Naval Academy
1987 – Richard Kimball, University of Michigan
1986 – Donald Gambril, University of Alabama
1985 – Raymond Bussard, University of Tennessee
1984 – Jack Ryan, US Military Academy
1983 – Robert F. Busbey, Cleveland State University
1982 – Richard E. Steadman, Monmouth University
1981 – Charles J. Butt, Bowdoin College
1980 – Gus Stager, University of Michigan
1979 – Philip E. Moriarty, Yale University
1978 – Jack McGuire, Iowa State University
1977 – Peter Daland, University of Southern California
1976 – George F. Haines, University of California, Los Angeles
1975 – James E. Counsilman, Indiana University
1974 – G. Robert Mowerson, University of Minnesota
1973 – Ted Webster, Syracuse University
1972 – Alfred R. Barr, Southern Methodist University
1971 – Charles E. Silvia, Springfield College
1970 – David H. Robertson, New Trier High School
1969 – Robert B. Muir, Williams College
1968 – Soichi Sakamato, University of Hawaii
1967 – Karl B. Michael, Dartmouth College
1966 – Charles McCaffree, Michigan State University
1965 – Richard Papenguth, Purdue University
1964 – Harold S. Ulen, Harvard University
1963 – Dave Armbruster, University of Iowa
1962 – Mike Peppe, Ohio State University
1961 – Matt Mann, Oklahoma University
1960 – Robert J. Kiphuth, Yale University
1959 – Edward T Kennedy, Columbia University
About Us
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) – the first collegiate coaches association – is a professional organization of college swimming and diving coaches dedicated to serving and leading the advancement of the sport of swimming & diving at the collegiate level. With a mission to protect, preserve and expand college swimming and diving opportunities, the CSCAA provides valuable resources, educational opportunities, and leadership development to its members, fostering a thriving and competitive collegiate swimming and diving community.
