Dave Parrington, Mark Bernardino, and Wally Morton Finalists for National Collegiate and Scholastic Trophy
Coaches Dave Parrington, Mark Bernardino and Wally Morton were named finalists for the2026 National Collegiate and Scholastic Trophy by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association this week.
The highest honor in college swimming, the trophy is awarded by CSCAA And the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA). Annually, it honors an individual who makes, “the greatest contribution to swimming and diving as a competitive sport, and as a healthful, recreational activity in the province of undergraduate and scholastic education.”
CSCAA member coaches are eligible to vote, with balloting open through Dec. 19. The winner will be revealed on May 3 during the CSCAA College Swimming and Diving Awards during the organization’s annual meetings in Chicago, Illinois.
Bernardino coached for nearly five decades, at Virginia, South Carolina and NC State, before retiring in the spring. In his most recent chapter, he’s helped the Wolfpack collected six ACC team titles and 12 NCAA top-eight finishes, including the 2021 runner-up result for the NC State women.
He was the head coach at Virginia from 1978-2013, winning 27 ACC titles and 31 times named the conference Coach of the Year. In between was a stint as an association head coach at South Carolina from 2014-18. In all, he’s coached three NCAA record holders and seven NCAA champions.
Bernardino twice served as the head coach for Team USA at the World University Games, was on the staff for the U.S. at the Pan American Games in 2011 and 2013 and coached at USA Olympic Festival and Junior National Team camps. He’s a former CSCAA president.
Morton spent 39 seasons at Cleveland State University from 1981-2014. He guided the team to 20 conference championships and 44 winning seasons, to 377 dual-meet victories in all and nine Coach of the Year nods. Morton coached five swimmers and one diver to qualify for NCAAs, including All-American Jakub Dobies in 2009.
He mentored 64 athletes who won Mid-Major All-America awards, as well 57 CSCAA Scholar All-American honors, with 27 Academic All-Americans.
Parrington is the most decorated diving coach in SEC history, thanks to 35 years at the University of Tennessee that culminated in 2025. He led Volunteers to nine NCAA championships, 47 SEC championships and 30 NCAA Top-three finishes. He produced 34 All-Americans, 19 SEC Divers of the Year and three CSCAA National Divers of the Year, while 16 times being named SEC Coach of the Year. In 2013, he was named National Women’s Diving Coach of the Year by CSCAA.
Internationally, Parrington coached Zimbabwe’s Olympic diving team in 1996 and 2000, was the head coach of Team USA at the 2014 FINA World Series and helped Knoxville host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Diving Trials.
