MIKE GIANCARLO
HEAD COACH; BLACK SQUAD LEADER

Coach Mike has been involved in competitive swimming for most of his life. His swimming journey began at age nine with the YMCA, and he went on to compete for Amherst High School’s varsity team from eighth grade through graduation. Mike continued his swimming career at SUNY Buffalo State, where he majored in Criminal Justice and minored in Coaching. He later earned his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Canisius University.

Mike began his coaching career in 2006 when he returned to his childhood YMCA team, where he spent seven seasons helping develop numerous swimmers who went on to earn YMCA Championship qualifications, state titles, and team records. In 2007, he joined the Amherst Boys Varsity program as an intern and was named head coach in 2009. He added the role of Amherst Girls Varsity head coach in 2014.

Since then, Mike has led both programs to sustained success, coaching multiple ECIC champions, Sectional champions, and New York State qualifiers. During his tenure, the varsity programs have broken 13 school records and more than 30 pool records across Western New York.  In 2021, he guided the Amherst Girls to the first Sectional team title in school history, earning him Coach of the Year honors from both the Amherst Central School District and The Amherst Bee.

In addition to his high school accomplishments, Mike was recognized as the Niagara LSC Small Teams Senior Coach of the Year for the 2024–25 season.

Mike’s coaching philosophy centers on the belief that hard work and a desire to improve provide every swimmer with the opportunity to reach their full potential.

BILL NIBLOCK
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH; ORANGE & WHITE SQUAD LEADER

Coach Bill has enjoyed many years of coaching experience.

As a youth in Buffalo, he swam locally under the leadership of his father, John Niblock. Coach Bill has been through extensive swim training and coaching courses, including Total Immersion and USA Swimming.

Bill is an active US Masters swimmer and also coaches a masters team.

MATTHEW KOEPPEL
ASSISTANT COACH; BLACK SQUAD

Coach Matthew was a member of the Amherst Varsity swim team for four years, from 1998 to 2002. He returned in 2005 as an assistant coach and took over as head coach of the boys’ team the following year. For four years, Matthew worked alongside Coach Mike to build Amherst into one of the more competitive programs in the ECIC division.

In 2011, Matthew left to become the coach of a co-ed program in the Oakfield-Alabama school district, where he was a chemistry teacher for five years. He inherited a program that finished last in the league the previous year. He quickly turned around the program and won a division championship in 2013, for which he was voted Coach of the Year in the Genesee region.

Throughout his career, Matthew has coached multiple league and sectional champions, as well as helping student athletes set more than 10 school records. As he started both his swimming and coaching careers at the Amherst pool, returning to coach the TigerSharks is a homecoming for Matthew. He hopes to use his knowledge of the sport and strong coaching background to help the TigerSharks swimmers excel to their highest potential.

MARIAH GLASS
ASSISTANT COACH; CO-LEAD TEAL SQUAD

Coach Mariah is happy watching her swimmers have fun and succeed, whether they make a goal time, or master a technique they’ve been working hard at.

Mariah enjoyed a long career as a competitive swimmer. She began swimming as a youth at the Oswego YMCA and finished at Niagara University.

Mariah spent four years coaching at the YMCA, including one year as head coach. 

TESS MINIGELL
ASSISTANT COACH

Coach Tess is glad to pass on her love of the sport in which she competed for a dozen years. She enjoys seeing the excitement of her young swimmers when they come to practice every day, ready to swim!

Tess began her career at age 10 in USA Swimming. In her best season there, she made it to Sectionals, where her team finished in 3rd place overall. Tess also swam at Amherst High School, for four years. As team captain her senior year, she won ECIC Swimmer of the Meet and helped break the 200 freestyle relay record. She went on to swim at the University of Rochester, where she was named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Swimmer, and team captain during her senior year. She also set the school record for the 500 freestyle.

Before joining the TigerSharks, Tess taught swim lessons to beginners of all ages.

LIZ SCHIFFHAUER
ASSISTANT COACH; CO-LEAD TEAL SQUAD

Coach Liz is excited to work with and mentor our young swimmers. A competitive swimmer for nine years, Liz swam for West Seneca East for five years, while also competing as a member of USA Swimming. She went on to swim at Alfred University. Her high school and college records still stand.

ARI STUCKER