Brian Hansbury
Head Coach
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Brian is a resident
of White Plains, NY and is going into his third year
as the Head coach of the Gael Aquatic Club and at Iona College as
an Asst. Coach since 2001.
Coach Hansbury a former All American Swimmer
selection out of White Plains High School , he swam USS for the
White Plains YMCA Middies with Ilan Noach, where he
excelled as a distance freestyler.
While swimming at at YWCA Middies Coach
Hansbury was a Senior National Finalist numerous times as
well as the 1994 Spring Senior Nationals Rookie of the Meet.
Coach Hansbury has medaled at Junior National, US Olympic
Festival, Empire State Games and attended numerous US Swimming
Select Camps and National Distance Camps through out his
career. Coach Hansbury continued his education and
swimming at the University of Florida where he continued to excel
in distance freestyle for the Gators.
Upon returnig to the area he has coached at Iona
Prep, Horace Greeley High School and the Larchmont Shore
Club. While at Iona Prep, Hansbury led
the Gaels to a Division II Title and was named Catholic High School
Coach of the Year for the 2002 season.
In addition to the Gael Aquatic Club,
Coach Hansbury is the Asst. Coach for the Men’s and
Women’s Swimming and Diving teams at Iona
College.
During the summer along with the Gaels Coach
Hansbury is the Aquatics Director at the Westchester Country Club,
and a former Asst. Coach of the WCC Team under Coach
Cavataro.
Dan Gannon
Asst. Coach
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Dan Gannon a former Gael Aquatic Club and Iona College
swimmer moves into his third year working with the Aquatic Club,
while working on his Masters Degree in Education here at Iona
College.
Coach Gannon attended High School in new Fairfield CT,
where he was apart of an undefeated Section “A”
Championship team and gained All-State Honors his Junior and Senior
years. After swimming USS for the Ridgefield Aquatic Club
Coach Gannon continued his swimming success at Iona, Dan scored
consistently at the MAAC Championships throughout his 4 years of
eligibility. Coach Dan excelled in the 400 IM, 100, 200
Breaststroke and 500 Freestyle.
When not on Deck with the Gael Aquatic Club, Dan can be
found coaching at the Davenport Beach Club in New
Rochelle.
Chris Brandenberger
Asst. Coach
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Brandenberger joins the Gael Aquatic Club and the Iona College
community after spending the past two seasons as assistant swimming
coach at Washington College in Chestertown, MD. He brings Division
I experience to Iona as he competed as a four-year varsity letter
winner at the University of Maryland from 2002 to 2006.
Brandenberger was named to the First Team All-ACC in 2004 and an
ACC Finalist from 2002 to 2005. He is the school record-holder in
the 800 freestyle relay. He was a two-time team captain as voted by
his teammates and coaches for strong commitment to teamwork and
leadership. He received the Dave Diehl Dedication Award Recipient
in 2004, which was voted by the coaching staff for most dedicated
member of the team. Chris also a standout age-group swimmer for the
Three Village Swim Club where he is still a Junior
Olympic Record Holder, a Zone Meet Qualifier and a Junior National
and Senior National Qualifier in the Backstroke.He received his BA
in English Language and Literature from Maryland in 2006.
Some of his prior coaching experience includes serving as Volunteer
Assistant Swim Coach at Maryland while completing his undergraduate
degree. He also coached over 100 swimmers on the North Creek
Neptunes summer league team, ages 5-18 and coached YMCA Regional
and National qualifiers on the senior team at the Upper Montgomery
County YMCA.
Bill Walsh
Asst. Coach
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Bill Walsh joins the Gael
Aquatic Club after graduating from Iona in 2008 and while working
on his MBA here at Iona.
Coach Walsh attended High
School at Notre Dame West Haven, CT, where he was a part of 3 CT
State Championship Teams and gained All-State and All American
Honors in his senior year. After High School Coach Walsh
continued his swimming career at Iona College, where he scored at
the MAAC Championships throughout his 4 years of eligibility. Bill
excelled in the 100, 200 Fly and 200, 500 Freestyles. Bill received
the most dedicated award in his Sophomore, Junior and Senior
seasons and was captain in his Senior year.
Nick Cavataro
Program Director
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Nick is a resident of Greenwich and has been at the helm of the
Gael A.C. since its founding in 1984 and at Iona College since
1980.
An energetic organizer, Coach Cavataro issues newsletters,
e-mails, calendars and holds meetings with parents and swimmers to
help with goals, questions, carpools, meet entries and other
important team functions. A distance freestyle and butterfly
specialist at Iona Prep, Manhattan College and with the Gotham
Aquatic Association (USS), Coach Cavataro was a three-time
All-Metro selection.
In addition to the Gael Aquatic Club, Coach Cavataro is the head
men’s and women’s coach and Director of Aquatics at
Iona College. In 27 years at Iona his career record is
211-165 and his teams have won four Metropolitan collegiate Swim
Conference Championships (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991) and the 1993
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship and
Coach-of-the-year honors in 1987 and 1991.
Since 1987, summers find Coach Cavataro at the Westchester
Country Club, where his 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996 and 1997 teams
won Westchester County Swim Conference titles (WCSC).
Coach Cavataro is a member of the American Swim Coaches
Association (ASCA-Level5); the College Swim Coaches Association and
United States Swimming. In 1984, 1986 and 1990 Cavataro was a
panel speaker at the ASCA World Clinics. In 1997 Cavataro
spoke at the College Swim Coaches Association Clinic.
Cavataro is married to Susan Follansbee, and exercise
physiologist. The Cavataro’s have six children,
Stephanie, 22; Lauren, 21; Matthew, 19; Kristi, 17;
James, 11 and Kathryn, 9.
You can contact Nick via e-mail at ncavataro@iona.edu
By phone at the Iona pool office: (914) 633-2323 from 9am-2pm.
Fax number: (914) 633-2688.
