Bobby Guntoro ’11

"All in" is the motto of Head Coach Bobby Guntoro ’11, who also encourages his student-athletes to share his mindset. Being UNCW’s third swimming and diving head coach, he proudly secured five program championships in the past four years: three on the men's side and two on the women's.

The 2024 season marked another significant milestone for Guntoro, as his teams clinched back-to-back victories, solidifying their status in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) swimming and diving arena.

"Going back-to-back with men and women together was the first time in the history of our program to do that," said Guntoro. "I think that means a lot for me, as an alum, to see that our program is doing well, and for me, as the leader of the program, to see that we have a good quality program. The 'championships culture' is what we call it." 

Guntoro's commitment to the “championship culture” extends beyond the pool. He has found victories in teaching Wilmington youth how to swim, a testament to his dedication to community engagement. Guntoro and his student-athletes have been actively volunteering with the UNCW Learn to Swim Program, a program that has been providing swim lessons to marginalized youth since 2017. The program emerged from research on higher drowning rates in Black and other racial minority youth conducted by alumna Ann Freeman for her Master of Public Administration degree.

“We have the ability, we certainly have the human resources, and we have the instructors who are students at UNCW,” said Guntoro. “Access to the swimming pool and access to the learn to swim program is very important because of how limited it is for some."

Guntoro has shown up "all in" for his team, program, family and community and hopes his athletes do the same beyond graduation.

"We are one team trying to strive for the same thing together. We don't have team captains because our goal is for everyone on the team to be a leader," he said. "I think the legacy I want to leave behind and what I want to leave my team is a blueprint that they can take beyond the UNCW years, bringing a positive impact anywhere they go."