TicketsMandy Commons-DiSalle enters her 11th season as head coach and 15th season overall with the University of Cincinnati swimming and diving program in 2024-25.
Since Commons-DiSalle took over the program, the Bearcats have excelled in both the pool and in the classroom.
Commons-DiSalle was named 2018 and 2019 American Athletic Conference Men's Swimming Coach of the Year and was a USA National Team Coach. She currently serves as President of the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Board of Directors.
Most notable coaching achievement is the growth of former Bearcat Jacqueline Keire into a three time NCAA All-American in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events. Keire was the first Bearcats swimmer to earn All-American honors since 2010 (and first female since 2005).
Commons-DiSalle also coached Chris Bready to the 2017 NCAA Championships, marking the first time a UC male swimmer qualified since 2010. The men's team had a historic season under Commons-DiSalle in 2018 when it won its first American Athletic Conference Championship and she was named Male Swimming Coach of the Year. She then backed that up with a men's repeat championship in 2019 and the women's team finished runner-up at the conference championship for the second straight season, along with another Men's Swimming Coach of the Year honor. Cincinnati also has collected a total of 39 individual titles at the American Athletic Conference championships and 27 school records during Coach DiSalle’s tenure.
In 2024, DiSalle helped lead the Bearcats in Cincinnati’s inaugural season of the Big 12 Conference with 4th place finishes for both the men’s and women’s programs. The women were able to defeat #22 Northwestern and conference rival West Virginia early in the season. Post conference both programs had NCAA qualifiers for the first time since 2017. Senior, Hunter Gubeno qualified in the 200 backstroke after breaking the school record with a time of 1:39.95 and Sophomore, Joleigh Crye made it back again in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.24 breaking her previous record. At NCAA, Crye was able to earn All-American Honors with a 13th place finish. The team's success carried over to the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials where both Gubeno and Crye had standout performances qualifying them for the semi-finals.
In 2021, DiSalle guided four Bearcats as they competed at the 2020 Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. Blake Hanna qualified in the 100m and 200m backstroke and finished second in Wave 1 with a time of 2:00.11 to earn his way into Wave 2. Hunter Gubeno qualified in the 100m and 200m backstroke and the 200m individual medley. Kevin Leibold qualified for the 200m butterfly and Connor Funke qualified in the 200m breaststroke.
Commons-DiSalle also led the Bearcats to academic success, with the highest men's and women's GPA in program history. The men finished the year with a 3.459 GPA and the women with a 3.727 GPA. There were also three UC One Team Award winners, with Matea Sumajstorcic earning Newcomer of the Year, Camryn Streid, the Student Athlete Award Winner, and Zach Baecker earning the Nancy Hamant Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
At the 2020 AAC Championships, the men’s swimming & diving team finished first runner-up, taking home the silver with a total of 5 podium finishes, while the women’s team finished third with 1 podium finish. Men’s swimming & diving team also continued to excel not only in the water but in the classroom as well by earning 20 AAC All-Academic Team selections and the women’s team earning 26. Din Selmanovic brought home multiple awards including scholar-athlete-of the year, postgraduate leadership award, UC's 2020 Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence, and was given the Jimmy Nippert Award at the 2020 One Team Honors. His success continues to bring light to the men’s swimming & diving team and head coach Commons-Disalle.
During the 2017-18 season, Commons-DiSalle led the Bearcats to one of its most historic seasons and was tabbed the AAC Men's Swimming Coach of the Year for her efforts. The men's team won the conference tournament title and the women placed second at the AAC meet for one of the best postseason performances in school history. 25 Bearcats were named to the All-Conference Teams following the meet with eight athletes earning individual championships. The men won their first relay championships in UC's AAC history.
Academic achievements also broke records during the 2017-18 school year. Both the men and women's teams posted their highest GPA's in program history in the spring. The women's team tied for the 15th-highest GPA in the nation. 13 individuals were recognized for strong academics by the CSCAA, more than any other program in the conference. The AAC honored 29 women and 21 men with AAC All-Academic Team distinction. Senior Chris Bready was named the American's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for swimming and diving, making it two Bearcats in a row to earn the honor.
Commons-DiSalle also led the Bearcats to academic success, ending the year with a cumulative 3.401 team GPA. In total, 46 athletes were nominated to UC’s Honor Roll, 31 of which also were on the Dean’s List. Additionally, 36 individuals earned a spot on The American All-Academic Team and four earned NCAA Academic All-America titles.
Before being appointed as the head coach for Cincinnati on July 1, 2014, she spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the team from 2010-14. During her time as an assistant, Commons-DiSalle served as the recruiting coordinator for both the men’s and women’s programs. She was responsible for recruiting the eagerly anticipated 14-member signing class for the 2014-15 season which added depth to the UC roster in several events.
Before entering the private sector, Commons-DiSalle began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at the University of Toledo. While with the Rockets, she coordinated the budget, team travel and scholarship distribution while helping oversee the program’s fundraising efforts.
Commons-DiSalle swam collegiately at Clemson where she was a four-time NCAA Championship qualifier, earning Honorable Mention All-America status in 2001 and 2002. She also was a National Strength & Conditioning All-American in 2000. She majored in economics with a minor in human resource management, receiving her degree from Clemson in 2003. She earned an MBA while coaching at Toledo.
Commons-DiSalle was a three-time Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state champion at Sycamore High School, where she is enshrined in the school’s athletic hall of fame.
She and her husband, Eric, and daughter, Sasha, reside in Cincinnati.
UC Coaching Highlights
- AAC Men's Conference Champions - 2018, 2019
- AAC Men's Conference Runner-up - 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- AAC Men's Coach of the Year - 2018, 2019
- AAC Women's Conference Runner-up - 2018, 2019
- 3-Time U.S. National Team Coach
- 2015 World Cup USA Coach
- 2015 Duel in the Pool USA Coach
- 635 UC Top-10 Times
- 112 UC School Records
- 59 American Athletic Conference Champions
- 9 AAC Swimmers/Divers/Freshman of the Year
- 5 All-Americans and 3 Honorable Mention All-Americans
- 2 US Olympic Team Trial Semi-finalist
- 2 National Records (1 American/1 International)
- 1 World Record Holder