In 2018-19, Craig Nisgor begins his eighth season as the head coach of the Seattle University men's and women's swimming teams.
Nisgor has led SU through its transition to Division I, as the Redhawks have established themselves in the Western Athletic Conference. In his tenure, Seattle U has set 78 school records. Nisgor has had two U.S. Olympic Trial and World Championship Trial qualifiers (Blaise Wittenauer-Lee and Kevlyn Richards) and the program's first-ever NCAA Championships-qualifier (Wittenauer-Lee). Out of the pool, SU has had success as well, with Nisgor landing one First Team and nine Honorable Mention Academic All-Americans in his time at Seattle U.
The 2017-18 campaign saw the Redhawks record eight school records and 47 total all-time top-ten performances. The SU women claimed their first-ever win over a Pac-12 program, taking down Oregon State, 143-116, at the Redhawk Center. Jack Baldoni led the men's side, logging an NCAA 'B' cut in the 100 butterfly on his way to Honorable Mention Academic All-American status. Paige Treff paced the women, setting three school records at the 2018 WAC Championships and taking home a bronze medal in the 50 freestyle. Overall, 94 percent of the men and women notched new lifetime-best efforts in at least one event on the season.
In 2016-17, Nisgor oversaw strong seasons for both the men and the women, as both teams recorded winning records in dual competition. Blaise Wittenauer-Lee concluded a fantastic career, becoming the first Redhawk swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Championships. She won WAC Female Swimmer of the Year after taking gold in three individual events at the 2017 WAC Championships. Seattle U went 7-1 in eight meets at the Connolly Complex and collected five medals at the WAC meet in Houston. The Redhawks notched 18 program records, 34 all-time top-10 efforts, and 50 personal-best swims on the season.
On the men's side, SU set five program records and tallied 29 individual top-10 times. The Redhawks won four home meets, including the program’s first victory over CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 5. They also claimed a pair of wins over Simon Fraser, including a 138-65 blowout of the Clan on Jan. 21. The margin marked the largest in the matchup’s history.
Seattle U was at its best, though, at the 2017 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championships. It set three individual school records, two relay records, and recorded 40 personal-best times.
In the 2015-16 season, Nisgor coached Wittenauer-Lee, the program's first WAC champion. Wittenauer-Lee won the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke at the WAC Championships and later qualified for the Olympic Trials that year. He coached both the men's and women's teams to 12 new school records.
The 2014-15 season saw SU break 13 school records, as Bart Wanot set program marks in both the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke. Wittenauer-Lee put up an NCAA 'B' cut in the 200 breaststroke at the WAC Championships. As a team, the Redhawks entered 46 new times in the program's then-all-time top-five list.
The Redhawk swimmers continued their assault on the record books and all-time top 10 times lists in 2013-14. On the men's side, the Redhawks pulled out a dual meet victory over longtime rival Simon Fraser, and Nic Morrell earned CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-America honors for posting an NCAA "B" cut time in the 200 backstroke as well as having a GPA over 3.5. For the women, Nisgor guided a young team to numerous personal best marks.
In the 2012-2013 swim season, the women's team competed in the WAC while the men continued to compete in the MPSF conference. Kevlyn Richards qualified for the World Championship Trials and broke the school record in the breaststroke at the WAC championships. Men's swimming member Tomas Mendez-Beck also broke a seven-year school record in the butterfly, and the men's team had 10 student-athletes receive MPSF All-Academic honors. The Western Athletic Conference reinstated men's swimming and diving for the 2013-2014 season.
He stabilized the Seattle U swim program, helping the team post at least one time within the all-time top ten lists for every event. He also coached Kevlyn Richards to a qualifying time for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Nisgor joined Brown's coaching staff in July 2007 as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, involved with all aspects of the Bears program including on-deck coaching, administrative duties, pool management, and season planning. Nisgor helped coach Brown's first Academic All-American in program history as well as three qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic Trials as the Bears set 28 school records and established 25 percent of the all-time top 10 times over the past four years.
Nisgor came to Brown from the University of Alabama, where he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for four seasons. While at Alabama, he experienced a great deal of success as he helped coach a two-time NCAA 200 breaststroke champion, the 2006 200 breaststroke world champion, and 22 All-Americans.
From 2000-2003, Nisgor was the top assistant coach at Davidson College, helping the Wildcats establish 19 new school records and post 40 percent of the program's all-time top-10 performances. Nisgor has also spent time as an assistant coach at American University (2000), the University of Virginia (1999), Ball State (1996-98), and the University of Buffalo (1995-96).
Nisgor earned a bachelor's degree in exercise studies with a concentration in athletic training from the University of Buffalo in 1996. He went on to earn a master's degree in athletic administration from Ball State in 1998.
