Coaches and Directors
Rory Coleman, Head Coach & Team Director
Coach Rory Coleman has spent over 20 years coaching the sport of swimming and working within aquatics.
Since 2018 Rory has spearheaded the efforts to start a youth swimming team in Ebensburg. The focus at first was the YPCC Summer Swim Team. As of the summer of 2021 the YPCC Summer Swim Team is the largest team in the Mountain Swim League. As the summer team has grown there has been more swimming interest in Ebensburg and the surrounding communities for a winter team. This has led to the formation of a USA swimming team and winter league team, Hellbender Aquatics of the YPCC.
Coleman has used his experience in aquatic and coaching to nurture the swimming program in Ebensburg.
During Rory’s undergraduate years in college he swam on the team at the University of Findlay and Keene State College. Rory was a national qualifier at the University of Findlay and an All-New England performer at Keene State. While in college Rory started his coaching career. He was the Assistant Coach for the Findlay Area Swim Team (FAST) in Findlay, Ohio. Coleman coached for 2 seasons with FAST and primarily worked with the 10 and under age groups. As Rory’s career continued he became the Senior Coach for one season at the Keene Swim Club (KSC) in Keene, NH. Coleman worked with all age groups as a part of the coach staff at KSC. Rory graduated in 2000 with a degree in Social Science.
After his undergraduate years Rory worked as a Graduate Assistant at Loras College. During this time Rory helped coach the Loras College swimming and diving team where he was the recruiting coordinator for the team and laid the framework for a men's team that would win conference championships and taught swimming classes within the curriculum of the college’s physical education department. During his time in Dubuque, IA he was also the Head Swimming and Water Polo Coach at the Loras College All- Sports Camp, assistant coach with the Dubuque Area Swimmin’ Hurricanes (DASH) and taught private swimming lessons. Rory earned his Master’s Degree in Physical Education at Loras College.
Coleman served as the first-ever head coach at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA. Starting the team from scratch in 2003, he was able to lead the Morningside women’s team to an 11th place overall finish at the NAIA national championship meet in 2004 and a 13th place finish in 2005. The men finished in 11th place at the NAIA national championship in 2005. Thirteen student-athletes qualified in 37 events for the national championship meet under Coleman’s direction. The College Swimming Coaches of America also recognized several student-athletes with All-America and Honorable Mention All-America honors. After almost 20 year one of Rory’s former athletes still holds the school record in the 400 IM. Coleman was also the Aquatics Director at Morningside directing the highly successful Morningside College swim lesson program. The swim lesson program enrolled over 600 participants each summer.
In 2005 Rory landed at the University of Delaware as the assistant swimming coach. Coleman coached the distance and sprint group at different times while also serving as the team’s recruiting coordinator. He played a key role in Delaware's four straight (2007-11) third place finishes at the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championships, marking the highest finish ever by the UD men. Once he arrived at Delaware, the Blue Hens captured seven top-five team finishes at the CAA Championships and won 14 conference individual and relay championships. Under his tutelage the women’s team broke all 19 school records and turned in a cumulative 77-30 record. During his time at Delaware, one female claimed a conference championship, Maryann Walker in the 200 yard backstroke at 2:02.24 (2009) and another accomplished 2 NCAA “B” times, Cortney Barry in the 500 yard freestyle 4:46.64 (2009) and 1650 yard freestyle 16:24.87 (2009) for only the second time in school history. On the men’s side, Coleman was able to help the team to a 67-30 mark while breaking 17 school records along the way. During his tenure, the men’s program experienced a revival, winning its first conference dual meet since 2000, its first individual conference championship since 2001, its first relay conference championship since 1992, and had its first NCAA “B” cut in school history. The men raked in a total of 13 CAA champions, Andrew Zinn 100 yard freestyle 44.42 (2008), Hans Gillian 100 yard butterfly 47.35 (2009) 47.54 (20010) 100 yard backstroke 48.56 (2010), Ryan Roberts 200 yard backstroke 1:47.59 (2011) 1:46.78 (2012), 200 yard freestyle relay 1:21.40 (2008), 400 Freestyle Relay 3:01.50 (2008), 2:57.73 (2009), 2:59.45 (2010) 2:59.89 (2011), 800 Freestyle Relay 6:40.29 (2009) 200 yard Medley Relay 1:28.88 (2010) 19 NCAA “B” cuts and the first two Olympic trial qualifiers in school history. Each year he was able to recruit some of the best swimmers in Delaware’s swimming history with the roster size increasing for both the men and women. With Coleman’s assistance, the Blue Hens swimming and diving teams were also successful in the classroom. During his 8 years, athletes have been named to the CAA Academic Honor Roll over 150 times. Coleman was a member of the Recreation Staff at the University of Delaware. He served as the primary contact for all events and activities at the Rawstrom Natatorium, including the Blue Hen Swim Camp, Lifeguarding Classes, Swimming Lessons and all major events including the DIAA State Swimming and Diving Championship and server as the founding advisor for the UD Club Swimming and Water Polo teams. Rory was also a manager during the summer at the Olympic sized UD outdoor swimming pool.
In 2013 Rory moved to Cambria County as he became the Head Swimming Coach and Aquatics Director at Saint Francis University. In his first year in 2013-14, he continued the strong tradition of Red Flash swimming with several high points. The Red Flash set two conference records at the NEC Championships. Senior Elise Lofgren broke her own record in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:16.32), while the relay team of Becky Peer, Catherine Rogers, Libby Francis and Danyel Johnson set the record in the 200-yard medley relay in 1:42.47. The foursome beat its own record by .32 seconds from the previous year, as well.
Rogers and Johnson each won an NEC Swimmer of the Week award while Lofgren joined just a handful of Saint Francis student-athletes to be a back-to-back CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree. The entire team joined in the academic realm, as the Red Flash was named to the College Swim Coaches of America Scholar All-American team in each semester of the 2013-14 school year.
In 2014-15, Coleman guided the Red Flash to 10 victories, tied for the most in a season in program history. The Flash competed without a single senior on the roster and finished fourth at the NEC Championships. The team had its best performance at the Northeast Catholic Invite at Boston College in October, placing second in the eight-team field. Junior captain Catherine Rogers won the 50-yard freestyle at the NEC Championships, and she also set a pool record at Stokes Natatorium in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:05.08 against Siena. She also earned an NEC Swimmer of the Week nod in January. Freshman Katie Lafferty won two NEC Swimmer of the Week awards in her rookie year, pacing the Flash in that category.
In 2015-16, Coleman led Saint Francis to an 8-7 record, the program's fourth consecutive winning season. The Red Flash finished fourth at the NEC Championships. The team also finished second at the Northeast Catholic Invite, hosted by Boston College. Sophomore Katie Lafferty earned three Top Three finishes at the NEC Championships. She won the 500-yard Freestyle, with a school-record time of 4:53.19. Lafferty placed second in the 200-yard Freestyle, also with a school-best mark of 1:50.00. She also took third in the 100-yard Freestyle, with a career-best time of 51.00, the second-fastest in program history. Lafferty won three NEC Swimmer of the Week awards. Sophomore Mary Kish finished third in the 200-yard Breaststroke at the NEC Championships, with a time of 2:16.56, the second-best in school history.
In 2016-17, Coleman led the Red Flash to a program-record 11 dual-meet wins and an 11-8 record. SFU earned its fifth straight winning season and finished fourth at the NEC Championships. SFU finished first at both the Colgate Fall Classic and Northeast Catholic Invitational, earning wins over six opponents, including Boston College, at the Northeast Catholic Invitational. The win over Boston College in the only win over a Power 5 university in Saint Francis swimming history. Freshman Karilyn Quon had two Top Three finishes at the NEC Championships, placing third in the 500-yard Freestyle, with a time of 4:58.75, and 400-yard IM, with a school-record time of 4:24.95. Quon also broke a school-record in the 200-yard Backstroke, with a time of 2:02.35, to place fourth at the NEC Championships. Freshman Sabrina Bowman finished second at the NEC Championships in the 100-yard Butterfly, with a time of 56.13, while junior Katie Lafferty placed third in the 50-yard Freestyle, with a time of 23.37. SFU finished third in both the 200-yard Medley Relay (1:43.12) and 800-yard Freestyle Relay (7:29.74).
In 2016-17, Coleman led the Red Flash to a program-record 11 dual-meet wins and an 11-8 record. SFU earned its fifth straight winning season and finished fourth at the NEC Championships. SFU finished first at both the Colgate Fall Classic and Northeast Catholic Invitational, earning wins over six opponents, including Boston College, at the Northeast Catholic Invitational. Freshman Karilyn Quon had two Top Three finishes at the NEC Championships, placing third in the 500-yard Freestyle, with a time of 4:58.75, and 400-yard IM, with a school-record time of 4:24.95. Quon also broke a school-record in the 200-yard Backstroke, with a time of 2:02.35, to place fourth at the NEC Championships. Freshman Sabrina Bowman finished second at the NEC Championships in the 100-yard Butterfly, with a time of 56.13, while junior Katie Lafferty placed third in the 50-yard Freestyle, with a time of 23.37. SFU finished third in both the 200-yard Medley Relay (1:43.12) and 800-yard Freestyle Relay (7:29.74).
The 2017-18 season was the best of Coleman’s career at Saint Francis. The team went 10-7 on the season and the 6th straight winning season with a 3rd place finish at the NEC Championship meet. The team was also recognized by the College Swim Coaches Association of America with the highest overall GPA in college swimming in Spring Semester 2018 with a 3.81 team GPA. The season was highlighted with 3 swimmers being crowned champion of the NEC. Senior Katie Lafferty won the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 23.20 setting the SFU school record, Sophomore Sabrina Bowman won the 200 yard IM in 2:02.25 aslo setting an SFU record and Karilyn Quon won thh 400 yard IM setting a new SFU and NEC record with a winning time of 4:21.09. During the 2018 NEC Championship meet school records were also set by Sabrina Bowman in the 100 yard butterfly at 54.77, Katie Lafferty in the 100 yard backstroke at 55.42 and 100 yard freestyle 50.39. The 2018 NEC championship saw all 18 competitors for Saint Francis score points in the meet with 13 total podium finishes for the team.
Coleman spent the 2018-19 and part of the 2019-20 season assisting the Central Cambria High School swim team.
Rory and his wife Kara live in Ebensburg and have two daughters, Amelia and Ellie. Kara works at Saint Francis University as a member of the nursing faculty and Rory is a sales manager at D&J Sports.
