Anthony Bruno joined the Tigers after serving as head coach at Fairfield University for five seasons. During his time 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.
