Bruce Marchionda, who carries 26 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and prep levels, enters his eighth season on the Hill and his fifth season as head coach of the Western Kentucky University swimming and diving teams. 

Marchionda, who was called to replace Bill Powell when he retired in the spring of 2005 after 36 years at the helm of the WKU program, was an associate head coach for three seasons until replacing Powell.  

In his first season as WKU’s head coach, Marchionda guided the men’s squad to the Sun Belt Conference Championship after an undefeated regular season toppoed off by a No. 10 ranking in the national polls.  After finishing the regular season with a record of 8-1 and earning a third-place finish in the Sun Belt Conference Championships, the women’s swimming and diving team held the number eight spot in the final CollegeSwimming.com poll.  Ten school records were broken or matched during the 2005-06 campaign and two of Marchionda’s seniors gained recognition for their achievements out of the pool.  Lisa Ross was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV second-team while Karl Swanson was named WKU’s male student-athlete of the year and hte 2005-06 SBC male student-athlete of the year.

In 2007-08, the Lady Toppers added to their list of Sun Belt Conference Championships after winning the coveted title with 775 points.  Additionally, Marchionda guided the Toppers and Lady Toppers to dual meet records of 8-1 and 7-2 respectively and had both teams finish in the top ten in the final Collegeswimming.com polls, whith the WKU men’s team finishing the season ranked eighth and the women ranked sixth.  Under Marchionda, seven student-athletes were also named to the Collegeswimming.com All-America Honorable Mention team.  Claire Alexandre, Jessica Aspinall, Claire Donahue, Brittany Doss, Francis Gilmore and Sean Penhale all picked up the honor in 2008.  

Academically in 2007-08, Marchionda had three student-athletes named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV team.  Wes Brown was named to the first team and Mitch Miller and Jennifer Adams were named to the second team.  Additionally, Brown was awarded an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship after the 2008 season, one of only 29 male student-athletes that competed in winter sports to be awarded the honor and the first WKU student-athlete to win the award since the 2006 season.

Last season, he guided the women’s team to their seventh Sun Belt Conference Championship.  At the championships, the Lady Toppers posted nine first place finishes and nine second place finishes.  The Lady Toppers also concluded the season with a perfect with 12 dual meet victories.  Marchionda also guided Lady Topper Claire Donahue to the NCAA Championhips and the 2009 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships, where the sophomore placed ninth in the 100 Fly.

Last season for the Hilltoppers, Marchionda guided the team to a third place finish at the SBC Championships.  There, the Hilltoppers grabbed eight top five finishes.  At the conclusion of the season, Sean Penhale competed in the NCAA Championships placing 30th in the 500 Free and 24th inthe 1650 Free.  Additionally, the Hilltoppers recorded a 9-1 overall record during the season.  

Academically in 2008-09, Marchionda had 21 athletes named to the SBC Commissioner’s List and 14 placed on the SBC Academic Honor Roll.    

Before coming to WKU, Marchionda helped lead the Tigers to the ACC Championship in 1997 and for his efforts, Marchionda was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach-of-the-Year following the 2007 season.  At Clemson, he produced 26 Atlantic Coast Conference champions, as well as, several swimmers that attained national and international awards.  

Marcionda also has international coaching experience on his resume, spending tme as a member of the Peruvian National Staff.   

Prior to his stint as the leader of the Tigers, Marchionda served in coaching roles with the Clemson Aquatic Club, Old Dominion and Norfolk Academy.  During his 13 years at Norfolk Academy, he won 15 Virginia state championships, and produced 21 hight school All-Americans, as well as, 79 high school state champs.  

Marchionda graduated from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa., in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in biology.  At Westminister, he was a six-time NAIA swimming All-American in the sprint events.  An Olympic Trials qualifier in 1980, Marchionda was also a three-time Master Swimming All-American.  A natice of Aliquippa, Pa., Marchionda is a 1975 graduate of Quiqley High School in Baden, Pa., Marchionda and his wife, Hope, have two children, Jacob and Mason.