After a distinguished career as a student-athlete at La Salle University, Matt Nunnally returned to his alma mater in 1999 to guide both the men's and women's swimming teams. He enters his tenth season at the helm of the Explorers' swimming program after serving five years as an assistant coach at Seton Hall University. Nunnally, who graduated in 1992, was an integral part of the Explorers swim team that won four straight MAAC Conference Team Championships (1989-92). Individually, he captured both the 200 free and 500 free conference titles and was also a member of several MAAC Championship relay teams. During the 2005-06 season, Nunnally led the men's team to the number 25 national ranking in the final polls. During that season, La Salle The Explorers were ranked as high at number 13 that year. Several Explorer athletes have earned individual titles during Nunnally's tenure. Last season, current senior Katie Gifford won the Most Outstanding Diver award. Sean Connors-McBride won the gold in the 200-yard butterfly, while Karo Isajan earned his second consecutive Most Outstanding Diver award on the men's side. Isajan broke a conference record in the 3-meter diving event, which was previously held by former Explorer Jamie Davidson. Both Isajan and McBride were four-time Atlantic 10 champions. Since his graduation from La Salle, Nunnally continues to achieve many of the goals that he sets for himself. At 34, he is a 19-year veteran lifeguard at Bradley Beach, NJ, and in the summer of 2003, he captured his third National Lifeguarding Championship high point award in Cape May, NJ. His previous titles were captured in San Diego (2000) and Cape May (1999). As a standout lifeguard, Nunnally has been selected to the U.S. National Team and has competed in the Lifeguarding World Championships in Germany in 1992, in South Africa in 1996, and the 2000 Championships in Sydney, Australia. This year Matt was again a member of the U.S. National Team and competed at the World Lifeguarding Championships in Italy. A native of Avon, New Jersey, Nunnally earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from La Salle in 1992 and an MBA from the University of Mississippi in 1995. He currently resides in Havertown, a suburb of Philadelphia. |
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