St. Xavier Names Matt Normile Head Swimming & Diving Coach
The AquaBombers will have a changing of the guard this upcoming season as longtime head coach Jim Brower steps away from the program after building one of the most successful high school swimming programs in the nation.
During his remarkable tenure, Brower guided St. Xavier to 29 OHSAA State Championships, including championship streaks of nine consecutive titles (1998–2006) and seven consecutive titles (2009–2015). Under his leadership, the AquaBombers also earned national recognition, winning three National Championships (1992, 2001, and 2007) as recognized by Swimming World Magazine and capturing 12 National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) National Championships.
Brower's impact extended far beyond team championships. More than 140 Bombers earned High School All-American honors or continued their swimming careers at the collegiate level, including Olympic gold medalist Joe Hudepohl and NCAA champion Jayme Cramer. His commitment to developing young men in and out of the pool has left a lasting legacy that will continue to shape St. Xavier Swimming for years to come.
Taking over the program is Matt Normile, who has served as an assistant coach since 2019 and the AquaBombers' JV Head Coach since 2020. A member of St. Xavier's History Department, Normile has played an integral role in the continued success and development of the program while building strong relationships with student-athletes throughout the school.
Normile is a graduate of DeSmet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, where he was a nine-time state finalist, three-time All-State selection, All-American, and captain of the Spartans. He helped lead DeSmet to its first state championship in 2002 and remains a member of the school's record-setting 400-meter freestyle relay.
He continued his swimming career at Xavier University, where he was a four-year letterwinner and helped establish several school relay records while graduating with honors with both a bachelor's degree in History and a master's degree in Education.
Before joining St. Xavier, Normile served as the head coach at Carroll High School in Dayton. During his tenure, Carroll won five Greater Catholic League championships, produced six GCL Swimmers of the Year, and consistently finished among the top programs in the district.
Normile's coaching philosophy is rooted in the Jesuit principle of Cura Personalis—care for the whole person. While he is committed to continuing the championship tradition established by Coach Brower, he is equally focused on developing young men of character, strengthening team culture, and helping every swimmer reach his full potential.
"Coach Brower built one of the premier high school swimming programs in the country, and we are incredibly grateful for everything he has done for St. Xavier," said Athletic Director Tim Banker. "Matt has been an important part of that success over the past several years and is uniquely prepared to lead the AquaBombers into their next chapter. We are excited for the future of our swimming program under his leadership."
