The 2021-22 season marks the first year of Matt Hurst’s tenure as an associate head coach, and his seventh year overall, on the Nittany Lions' Swimming & Diving staff. Both the Penn State men’s and women’s teams have scored at the NCAA Championships each year of his tenure with a total of 25 swimmers qualifying.
Both the men’s and women’s teams have scored at the NCAA Championships each year the competition took place and both teams have placed in the Top 30 at NCAAs in five out of seven Championships. During Barnes' tenure, two medalists have earned four medals at the NCAA Championships, including 2016 Olympian Shane Ryan's silver (2014) and bronze (2015) medal performances in the men's 100 backstroke and Ally McHugh's silver (2018) and gold (2019) in the women's mile. In total, 31 Penn State student-athletes have earned All-America honors on 87 occasions, with 14 of those earning 18 first-team nods. They have also captured one relay and eight individual Big Ten Championships.
Three Nittany Lions competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Gabe Castano competed in the 50 freestyle for Mexico. Melissa Rodriguez raced in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke events for Mexico. Shane Ryan, competing in his second Olympic games, raced in the 800 freestyle relay and 100 butterfly events for Ireland as part of Ireland’s first men’s relay in the Olympics since 1979. Ryan set an Ireland record with a time of 52.52, a personal best, in the 100 butterfly.
In 2020-21, The Nittany Lions jumped right back into preparations and into the water, posting milestones of success with four school records, 18 top-10 times, dozens of personal bests and the program’s 21st Big Ten champion in Daly (400 IM). In back-to-back years, at least five Penn State competitors have qualified for the NCAA Championships, with seven who would have represented the Nittany Lions in the 2020 NCAA Championships.
Penn State scored points in the NCAA Championships for the ninth-straight year in 2020-21. Six Nittany Lion swimmers (5 men, 1 woman) and a men’s diver competed in the 2020-21 postseason. The five men earned All-America honorable-mention honors as Daly and the 200 free relay team of Gabe Castano, Will Roberson, Jake Houck and Zane Sutton set a Penn State record and finished 13th.
Two podium finishes, including a first Big Ten Champion in the 400 IM, were highlights for the Nittany Lion men at the conference championships, posting 14 top-16 finishes. In addition to Daly’s Big Ten victory in the 400 IM for a personal best and school record, he finished fifth in the 200 backstroke and seventh in the 100 back. Will Roberson earned a silver medal leading three Nittany Lions among the top eight in the 50 freestyle with Houck taking sixth and Castano eighth.
Marie Schobel, who became the first Penn State women’s swimmer to advance to B final of the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 back, scored 42 points at the Big Ten Championship and qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 and 200 back events. She finished 22nd in the 100 back and 39th in the 200 back.
During the season the men’s team found success highlighted by 2021 Olympic hopeful Gabe Castano who qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 50 free (19.06) after winning silver at the Big Ten Championships and ranking as the fifth fastest in the nation for the event. Although the tournament was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 200 free relay team consisting of Castano, Juliusz Gosieniecki, Austin Wilson, and William Roberson were also supposed to compete after breaking a school record in the event at the Big Ten Championships (1:17.38). Castano, Roberson, and Gosieniecki all earned CSCAA All-American awards for their season performance. The men finished with 10 all-time top times in Penn State history.
Additionally, the women had a stand-out year after swimming for six all-time top times in school history and breaking a school record in the 200 medley relay (1:37.09). Maddie Cooke reached the championship final at the Big Ten Championship in the 50 free and scored in the 100 breast paired with Abbie Amdor who scored in the 50 and 100 free. Both Olivia Jack and Madison Ledwith scored in one event each at the B1G Championships.
His swimmers also saw victories in the classroom earning CSCAA Scholar All-American and Honorable Mention awards paired with Academic All Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar accolades.
The 2018-19 season was highlighted by the Penn State women’s program’s first individual NCAA National Championship, as Ally McHugh won gold in the mile. McHugh also broke her own record in the 400 IM to lead Penn State to a top-30 finish at NCAAs, and she won the Big Ten mile championship. On the men’s side Michael Daly and Gabe Castano stood out at the NCAA Championships with Daly earning a new school record in the mile and Castano placing 17th in the 50 free. Over the summer, five different Nittany Lions totaled 11 Olympic Trials cuts, led by Daly’s five, and Castano earned a bronze medal at the Pan-Am Games.
In 2017-18, growth was the theme for a pair of young squads. According to SwimSwam.com the Penn State women were the most improved major conference team at a conference championship for the year, while McHugh claimed her first Big Ten Championships with gold in the mile, followed by a runner-up placing in the same event at the NCAA Championships. On the men’s side, the Nittany Lion men’s swimmers posted 47 career-best times during the Big Ten Championships, and 18 of the 25 that traveled to the meet scored.
In 2016-17, McHugh’s emergence, the return of Shane Ryan following a year in Ireland to train for the Olympics boards were the highlights. McHugh was one of three NCAA qualifiers for the women, while Ryan represented the men. Ryan’s impact was felt at the Big Ten Championships where he earned a medal of each color, and he went on to become a three-time All-American in the 100 backstroke.
In his first season in 2015-16, 10 Lions qualified for the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championships and led Penn State to its third consecutive top-25 finish. Six swimmers earned a combined 10 All-America honorable mention honors.
Hurst arrived at Penn State University after a 12-year tenure at Southern Connecticut State, first as a student-athlete and most recently as an assistant coach for the past eight years.
During Hurst's tenure at SCSU, he mentored 84 All-Americans and three individual NCAA Champions, while guiding two individuals to four NCAA Division II national records. He also helped the Owls' women's squad post their highest finish ever at the NCAA Championships.
In addition to his responsibilities with Southern Connecticut State, Hurst also coached at SoNoCo Swim Club. He was a 2012 Junior National Team Coach and qualified four individuals for the Olympic Trials. In 2009, Hurst attended the FINA World Championships as an assistant coach with the Dominican Republic.
Hurst rejoined the Owls after spending the 2006-07 academic year as an assistant coach at Wesleyan University. In his position at Wesleyan, Hurst worked with the team's sprinters and breaststrokers. He also led the team's strength and conditioning and dryland programs. During his time at Wesleyan, Hurst coached two All-Americans and one Academic All-American.
As a student-athlete at SCSU, Hurst was a two-year captain, 11-time All-American, school record holder, and U.S. national qualifier. A corporate communications major as an undergraduate, Hurst also garnered Academic All-America honors three times. He also completed his master's degree at SCSU in human performance.
Hurst grew up in Haverford where he was an All-American with the swim team. Hurst also competed for Upper Main Line YMCA, where he was a 26-time All-American.
Hurst is joined in State College by his wife, Theresa, daughter, Annabelle, son, Michael, and dog, Ryley.
