Nolan McArdle (Messiah College ’18) joined the Dickinson coaching staff in the spring of 2021. McArdle brings a wealth of high school and club experience to the men’s and women’s swimming programs.
“Nolan is an outstanding addition to our staff, here to mentor and support our student-athletes as emerging leaders throughout their four years at Dickinson,” reflects Head Coach Katie McArdle. “Our student-athletes benefit from his robust knowledge of cross-training, starts, turns, and race strategy. His presence on staff fully embodies our program’s overarching commitment to family.”
A western New York transplant, McArdle came to Dickinson from nearby Red Land High School, where he served as the Head Varsity Swimming & Diving Coach for three years. During McArdle’s tenure, the Patriots produced 17 district qualifiers, broke four school records, and achieved their all-time highest men’s team finish at the District III Championship (AAA). He also led the women’s team to their first winning season in eight years and fostered two consecutive winning seasons for the program. Under McArdle’s leadership, the men’s team experienced their first winning season in five years and ultimately achieved winning records during each of McArdle’s three years.
In addition to coaching at Red Land, McArdle spent nearly a decade coaching age-group swimmers at Hickory Hill Swim & Tennis Club in Orchard Park, NY. During McArdle’s time at Hickory Hill, the club program developed dozens of elite-level collegiate swimmers and won nine consecutive Southtowns League championship titles. While at Hickory Hill, McArdle also spearheaded the Hickory Hill Biathalon to support the Buffalo City Swim Racers, a nonprofit organization providing equitable access and support for the sport of swimming in the city of Buffalo.
McArdle is a 2018 graduate of Messiah College, where he majored in history and swam all four years for the Falcons. He earned 15 Middle Atlantic Conference All-Conference honors, including the men’s program’s first-ever relay title, and broke 10 program records. He remains the program’s top point-scorer over four MAC Championship meets. McArdle also served as a captain of the men’s program both his junior and senior years and sat on the executive board of Messiah’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He was also named to the Middle-Atlantic Conference Honor Roll.
Off of the pool deck, McArdle teaches seventh-grade social studies at Crossroads Middle School in the West Shore School District. He holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from California University of Pennsylvania, along with his state principal certification. McArdle resides in Carlisle with his wife, Head Coach Katie McArdle.
