Marist University Women's Swimming

VanWagner's men's squad has captured 14 conference championships including the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title in the school's first 10 years of competition in the league. The Marist women's squad has captured 21 conference championships: 17 MAAC, two Metro and two ECAC. In addition, the Red Foxes have had 41 individual Metropolitan Conference Champions and 164 individual MAAC Champions. With wins by the men and women against Fairfield on November 6, 2015, in McCann Natatorium, VanWagner reached 350 victories for his career. At the end of the 2016 season, the men's program had a .649 overall dual meet winning percentage and .835 in MAAC competition. The women's winning percentage stood at .738 overall and .942 in the MAAC. Between the two programs, Marist has had victories in 88.9 percent of their regular season conference competitions.    Individually, VanWagner was named ECAC Coach of the Meet in 2005, 2006, and 2010, and MAAC Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016. During his undergraduate studies at Springfield College, where he graduated with a B.S. and a M.P.E. in physical education and athletic administration, VanWagner swam under the legendary Charles "Red" Silvia. While a member of the varsity team, VanWagner captained the Chiefs to a New England Championship while earning All-American honors in 1974. Dedicated to the teaching and promotion of the sport of swimming, VanWagner also serves as the Director and Head Coach of the Marist Swim Club, a USS program which has achieved national recognition and placed dozens of high school graduates into Division I universities. In its 38-year history, the program has produced numerous champions including: 11 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers, six world-ranked swimmers, six Junior National Champions, 96 ESG Champions, two U.S. National Junior Team members, 16 U.S. National Championship qualifiers and more than 148 Metropolitan JO Champions. A Hyde Park native, VanWagner presently resides in Lagrangeville, N.Y., with his wife Ginny.

Bolstad earned a Master's Degree in Sports Psychology at Ithaca College while serving as the school's graduate assistant diving coach. During her tenure as diving coach with the Bombers, Bolstad produced three NCAA Division III All-Americans. Bolstad next moved to Vassar College in 1983 where she remained until taking the position at Marist in 1989. While at Vassar she produced many state finalists, a NYS state champion and a two-time NCAA Division III All-American. While at Marist she has coached 15 athletes to MAAC Diver of the Meet honors since the Red Foxes joined the conference in 1996. She has also coached her son, Brian, to a spot atop the MAAC and Marist all-time record books. Brian Bolstad is the current holder of the highest six-dive point total in the 3-meter in the MAAC with 350.0, as well as the Marist record of 338.92 points in the 1-meter dive. During the four years of tutelage under Coach Bolstad, Brian earned the 2010 ECAC titles on the 1- and 3-meter board as well as the Diver of the Meet award. He completed his career with a school-record 10th place finish at the NCAA Zone A Diving meet. Bolstad's divers have claimed 34 conference championships and received conference Diver of the Year honors 21 times. She presently resides in Highland, N.Y., with her husband.

Billesimo rejoined the Marist coaching staff after stops in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Billesimo started his association with the college in 1977 as an age group coach for the Marist Swim Club. In 1983, he was given the reigns of the collegiate women's team. The highlight of his four years in charge was finishing runner-up in the Metropolitan Swim Conference. Billesimo then moved on to New Jersey, where he was the head coach of Montclair State University. While there, his women's team secured top 20 finishes at the NCAA Women's Division III Championships. Outside of college athletics, he was the Director/Head Coach of the Montclair Aquatic Club for six years from 1987-1993. Beginning in 1995, he became the Associate Head Coach of the Atlantis Aquatic Club in Bethlehem, Pa. During his eight years, he saw six members qualify for the Olympic Trials, including one finishing fourth in the 2000 Trials for the 200-yard butterfly. Billesimo also had four of his swimmers post times to rank in the top 100 of the world. With his success at Atlantis, he moved back into the collegiate ranks in Bethlehem as a volunteer assistant/stroke clinician at Lehigh University. He served on the Mountain Hawks' staff for six years before returning to the Hudson Valley as the coach of the Senior Squad of the Red Fox Aquatic Club.

O'Neil has been a part of the Marist swimming and diving program since 1987, when he began his career with the Marist Swim Club. In 1992 he qualified for the U.S. Senior Nationals as part of the 400-meter medley relay team. His qualifying time is a Marist Swim Club record that still stands today. O'Neil, a 1996 graduate of Marist and former record holder in the 500-yard freestyle, was a member of Marist's 1995 undefeated team that won the Metropolitan Championship. He also led the Red Foxes to their first ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship in 1996. He was a three- year qualifier in the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., O'Neil currently resides in his hometown where he is a senior market consultant for Clear Channel Radio of the Hudson Valley.