Bobby Guntoro, who was named head coach on July 23, 2020, returned to his alma mater following eight seasons on the staff at NC State, including the last three as the Wolfpack’s Associate Head Coach. He arrived in Raleigh as a graduate assistant and after two seasons, was elevated to assistant coach.
Guntoro, who enters his fifth season leading the program in 2024-25, became just the third head coach in the program’s history and the first UNCW graduate to take the reins.
UNCW continued its resurgence under the direction of Guntoro in 2024 as the Seahawks swept the Coastal Athletic Association championships for the first time since 2006. For the men, it was their third straight conference title and 16th overall. The Seahawk women earned their second consecutive CAA title and fifth in the program’s history.
Guntoro was recognized as the Swimming Coach of the Year for both the men and women in 2024. He’s earned that honor a total of five times, including three on the men’s side.
The Seahawk men collected their 15th conference title in 2023 and the women added their fourth title and first since 2006.
William Carrico was honored as the league’s Rookie of the Year and competed along with Dave Fitch at the 2024 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis.
In his second season as head coach at his alma mater, Bobby Guntoro returned the Seahawks to championship form as the men captured their first Colonial Athletic Association title since 2014 and Brooke Knisely competed in the 2022 NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Ga.
Guntoro was honored by the league’s coaches as the Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year as the Seahawks breezed to their 14th conference title. UNCW combined to win 16 events at the championship meet.
Knisley became the first Seahawk since Carly Tanner in 2013 to compete at the NCAA Championships. Knisely was the CAA Champion in both the 500 and 1650 Free and set program records in both events during the 2021-22 season.
Four Seahawks earned major honors from the CAA with Sam O’Brien and Katie Knorr earning Swimming Rookie of the Year honors.
O'Brien shined as a freshman, delivering a sweep of the distance events at the CAA Championships. He won the 500 Freestyle with a time of 4:23.83 and later earned a win in the 1650 Free when he touched the wall in a time of 15:27.16. O'Brien also finished second in the 400 IM with a time 3:52.70.
Knorr earned All-CAA honors in the 200 IM and won the 400 IM with a time of 4:19.72. Knorr set a program record in the 400 IM earlier in the season with a time of 4:17.18.
At NC State, Guntoro served on both the women’s and men’s coaching staffs and helped both teams record ACC championships and NCAA top-10 finishes. He worked primarily with the sprint and middle distance groups daily and was instrumental in recruiting.
Guntoro helped produce a pair NCAA champion relays at the 2018 NCAA Championships and both relay units set NCAA records. The 800 Free Relay clocked a time of 6:05.31, while the 400 Free Relay posted a record time of 2:44.75.
Individually, Andreas Vazaios was the NCAA champion in the 200 Butterfly at the 2018 and 2019 NCAA Championships.
On the women’s side, Guntoro helped the program to the 2017 ACC title, its first championship since 1980. NCSU added another crown in 2019 and finished seventh at the NCAA Championships for the second time in three seasons.
At the 2020 ACC Championships, the women’s 200 Free Relay set an ACC record with a time of 1:26.15.
Guntoro is a graduate of UNCW and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting in 2011. He set the program record in the 100 Butterfly and swam on several record-breaking relays. UNCW won four CAA championships during his career and added a fifth consecutive title in 2012 when Guntoro served as a volunteer assistant on the coaching staff.
Guntoro has extensive experience on the international front. A native of Jakarta, Indonesia, he represented the country on the international level from 2003-11.
Guntoro earned a Master of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration on Sport and Youth Development at NC State in 2015.
