Swimming & Diving Coaching Staff

Rob Bond
Head Coach

Former Illinois Tech All-American, Rob Bond, took the helm of the Scarlet Hawk men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs in 2000. Under Bond's tutelage, the Hawks have experience unprecedented success:

• 6 consecutive NAIA National Meet top 10 finishes, including school best 4th place in 2005 & 2006 for the men’s team
• 5 consecutive NAIA National Meet top 10 finishes, including school best 4th place in 2005 for the women’s team
• 4 of the 5 individual NAIA National champions in school history 
• 40 of the 42 team records have been broken at least once
• 34 NAIA All Americans

In 2004, Bond was named NAIA Men's Swimming and Diving National Coach of the Year. Prior to his return to Illinois Tech, Bond spent nine years at the high school and club level, directing a pair of successful prep programs at both Warren (1999-2001) and St. Viator (1998-1999) high schools. In 2001, his final season at Warren, Bond garnered Sectional Coach of the Year honors from the Illinois High School Association.

Aside from reaching All-American status as an undergraduate, Coach Bond was the school record holder in the 100-yard freestyle and all five relays. Those records have since been broken though.

Coach Bond also serves as the associate athletic director for compliance and director of aquatics. He and his wife, Bridget, reside on the north side of Chicago with their 1 year old son, Emmett.

Ryan Nelson
Assistant Coach (Divers)

Ryan Nelson enters his 2nd season as an assistant coach for the IIT Swimming program.  A former All-Conference diver at UIC, Nelson will tutor the Scarlet Hawk divers for the second consecutive year.

Prior to his arrival at IIT, Nelson served as an assistant coach at his alma mater during the 1999-2000 campaign. 

Nelson was a four-year letterwinner for the Flames from 1995-1999 where he was a 4-time NCAA Zone Championship Qualifier and a three-time All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference selection.

Nelson served as the Flames co-captain during the 1998-99 season and was named UIC Athlete of the Year.

Nelson currently works as an counselor in IIT's Undergraduate Admissions Office.