TOWSON, Md. – Anthony Bruno has been named as the head coach for the men's and women's swimming and diving programs at Towson University. Steve Eigenbrot, Director of Athletics, made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.
 
Bruno, a three-time conference coach of the year, comes to Towson after spending the last five seasons as the head coach of the men's and women's swimming and diving programs at Fairfield University, located in Fairfield, Connecticut.
 
"My wife Katie and I could not be more thrilled to be a part of the Tiger community," said Bruno. "Towson is on the rise and the energy was incredible during my visit. I want to thank (Towson president) Dr. Kim Schatzel, Steve Eigenbrot, Tricia Turley Brandenburg, Terry Porter, and everyone involved with the search committee for this opportunity.
 
"Towson has a great swimming and diving tradition. I am humbled and excited to be the next head coach of the program. I am looking forward to building relationships with the current team members and getting going on campus."
 
"As we embark on the next chapter of Towson swimming and diving, we are very excited to welcome Coach Tony Bruno and his family to our team here at Towson," said Eigenbrot. "He brings experience as a successful head coach, as well as a history of building both men's and women's programs. We have no doubt he is the right person to lead our program and look forward to celebrating many great days in the pool under his leadership. I'd also like to thank Terry Porter for leading this search and making sure we found the right person to lead this program forward."
 
Over the course of his five seasons with the Stags, Bruno mentored 24 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champions on the women's side, while 55 swimmers earned podium finishes at the league meet. On the men's side, 23 individuals finished in the top three at the league championships, while also collecting the program's first-ever relay championship. 
 
Bruno guided the Fairfield women's swimming and diving teams to back-to-back MAAC Championships in 2018-19 and again in 2019-20, the first team titles in program history. Four times one of Bruno's student-athletes broke a MAAC record, while adding an NCAA B Cut Qualifying time to the mix, another program first at Fairfield.
 
During his tenure with the Stags, 59 men and 41 women's individual program records were set, while 39 relay program records were set, with 23 on the men's side and 16 on the women's. Over the last five seasons, new program top-10 times were set an astounding 368 times, with 188 produced on the men's side with another 180 for the women's team. Bruno coached four team members to U.S. Open-level time standards as well.
 
Bruno coached two student-athletes who swam in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Those athletes earned a silver medal and two bronzes during the most recent Paralympic Games. Bruno also coached three separate women's Swimmer of the Conference, a women's Rookie Swimmer of the Conference, a women's rookie diver of the championship meet and most recently, a men's Rookie Swimmer of the Year.
 
Out of the pool, Bruno's teams had big gains in the classroom, increasing each team's combined grade point average year over year, including a jump from 2.95 for the men's team to a 3.61 in 2021. The women's team added nearly half a point to their combined GPA, jumping from 3.15 in 2017 to a 3.53 in 2021.
 
Prior to his time at Fairfield, Bruno was the associate head coach for men's and women's swimming and diving at MAAC rival Iona College in New Rochelle, New York from July 2013 until April 2017. Bruno helped the Gaels set 19 individual records, 41 program records and over 300 top-12 performances. In addition to recruiting duties, Bruno worked to design, administer and organize team and individual workouts, while also working closely with the strength and conditioning staff to enhance weight training for the program. Additionally, Bruno helped assist in fundraising efforts, and stewardship with alumni, parents and friends of the program.
 
Bruno's first dive into collegiate swimming and diving came as a three-year stint at Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut. Working primarily with the sprint groups, Bruno was charged with on-deck coaching, including race strategy and technique feedback, and creating team and individual goals. Bruno served as the travel coordinator for a training trip and away meets. Additionally, Bruno served as the meet director for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship, an invitational and staffed home meets.
 
Bruno earned his Bachelor's Degree in movement and sport science at Springfield College in 2009. A two-time NCAA All-American, Bruno set two school records, earned First and Second Team All-Conference honors and served as a team captain in 2009. Bruno was a seven-time YMCA All-American and swam on the national runner-up 200-meter freestyle relay team, which also set the Connecticut state record. Bruno was a five-time Connecticut Senior Champion as well.