GSCY STORM COACHES
LEADERSHIP ───────
Mary Korey
Head Coach & Director of Competitive Aquatics
Lead Coach - Lightning 3, Senior 1, Senior 4
Email: mkorey@gscymca.org
Coach Mary has been a swim coach, first with Somerset Hills YMCA and later with GSCY Storm, for over 6 years. During this time, Coach Mary has had the opportunity to coach athletes across age groups, serving as lead coach of 8/U and Senior groups, and assisting with other age groups in between.
Prior to her competitive coaching career, Coach Mary also taught swim lessons and operated a swim school for preschoolers for 7 years at the Somerset Hills YMCA. In all of her 13 years of experience as a coach and teacher, she finds it most fulfilling to build relationships with kids that last throughout their swimming career - from 8 to 18 years old!
While in college, Coach Mary competed in a variety of sports. She was a competitive swimmer and volleyball player, and in her spare time, she also played recreational tennis and golf.
Coach Mary grew up in Illinois before moving to New Jersey when she married her husband over 20 years ago. Outside of swimming, she enjoys golfing, spending time with friends and family, and anything else that involves the water!
Jesse Novak
Associate Director of Competitive Aquatics, 12/U
Lead Coach- Thunder 1, Lightning 1
Email: jnovak@gscymca.org
Coach Jesse started swimming for Somerset Valley YMCA (SVY) in Bridgewater, NJ when he was 9 years old and competed for them until he graduated high school in 2013. Jesse then attended Rowan University for 4 years, majoring in Exercise Science and competing for the swim team. During his time at Rowan University, Coach Jesse was a team captain for 2 years, 14 time All-American, 2 time Rowan Athlete of the Year, 2 time NJAC Swimmer of the Year, 8 time team record holder, 3 time Division 3 National Champion in the 50 (2015) and 100 (2015, 2017) freestyles, 2016 US Olympic Trial Participant and the 2017 recipient of the Rowan Legacy Award for Leadership. After graduating from Rowan, Coach Jesse moved to Los Angeles, CA to continue his swimming career under Coach Dave Salo and competed in the 2021 and 2024 US Olympic Trials.
Coach Jesse got his start in coaching during college, working as a clinician under Coach Tony Lisa for 3 years. After moving to Los Angeles, Coach Jesse worked for BLAST Sharks as a Head Location Coach, Alpha Aquatics as a Head Age Group Coach, and Irvine NOVAquatics as a 12/U Developmental Coach.
Evan Graziano
Associate Director of Competitive Aquatics, 13/O
Lead Coach - Junior 2, Junior 3
Email: egraziano@gscymca.org
Coach Evan grew up swimming and competing in various sports, gravitating towards swimming in high school. From there, he matriculated to Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he continued to swim for four years, enjoying success and a bevy of memories still treasured.
After volunteering for a stint at his alma mater in 2018, Evan joined the staff at Somerset Hills in September of 2018 and was an assistant swim coach for The Pingry School during the 2021 season. He helps coach 13/over for GSCY and looks forward to the continued success of both athletes and colleagues going forward.
LEAD Coaches ───────
Profile Coming Soon
Chris Chang
Lead Coach - Senior 3
Email: coachchrisgscy@gmail.com
Profile Coming Soon
Rob Rynone
Lead Coach - Junior 1
Email: coachrobgscy@gmail.com
Coach Danielle has been coaching for the Greater Somerset County YMCA for 19 years. Her passion for swimming originally started at age 7 when she swam for Shore Hills Summer Swim Team in Northern NJ. As her love for swimming grew, she eventually joined the West Morris YMCA swim team and competed with them for 8 years. During her time with the WMY Sharks she qualified for Y Nationals each year from 1988 through 1991.
While competing for the Y team she also swam for Roxbury High School where the girls team ranked 2nd in the state. After graduating high school, Danielle decided to go to Manhattan College where she had the opportunity to both run and swim for the school. While at Manhattan College, Danielle was named MVP 4 times, twice for Swimming and twice for Cross Country. In 1992, she was conference champion in both the 50 free and the 5K for XC. At one point, she held the cross country school record and 9 individual swimming records.
In 1995, she was named to the Academic All American team and in 2007 she was inducted into the Manhattan College Hall of Fame for both Cross Country and Swimming. After graduating with a degree in Biology, she went on to work for National Starch and Chemical Company where she was co-inventor on 4 patents. She now has 3 beautiful children that have grown up with the YMCA being a big part of their lives. She enjoys coaching all groups but especially likes the 12/under and developmental levels. She continues to coach to give back to the sport that gave her so much. “I have been blessed to have had the opportunities I had through competing in swimming and running, and have had some amazing coaches that have influenced me in so many ways. Through coaching, I like to continue paying it forward to the swimming community and hope to inspire other swimmers/athletes to find passion and a lifelong love for the sport.”
Profile Coming Soon
Profile Coming Soon
jordan mcCHESNEY
Lead Coach - Thunder 3
Email: jordanmcchesney01@gmail.com
Coach Andrea began her coaching career coaching a local summer team in Edison, NJ in 2005. That led to coaching at the Metuchen YMCA. Coach Andrea coached mainly 12/under swimmers.
In the fall of 2011, she moved to coach at SVY. Since then, Coach Andrea has assisted with most of the 12/u groups and have been the lead in both the Silver 3 (now Silver 1) and Bronze 3 (now Bronze 1) groups since 2014. In 2015, she was hired as the Associate Director of Competitive Aquatics.
Coach Andrea has two children that graduated through the program. Her son went on to swim and graduate from NYU and her daughter is graduating from Rutgers and will be pursuing a nursing degree at University of Pennsylvania.
Coach Ellen joined the Somerset Valley YMCA coaching staff in the fall of 1995 as an assistant coach for the 12 and under age group program until 1997. After the 1997 season, Coach Ellen took a break to start a family. Coach Ellen later returned to the Somerset Valley YMCA coaching staff in the fall of 2009 primarily as an assistant coach for Silver 3/Silver 2. She has also been the assistant coach for the Blue Dolphins.
Coach Ellen has been the lead Coach for the Waves swim group since 2017.
She is a YMCA and a USA certified coach.
As an age-group swimmer, Coach Ellen swam for the Metuchen-Edison YMCA at the age of 8 and 9. She then moved to Somerset Valley YMCA from the ages of 10 to 16. She then finished her high school swim career at the Fanwood Scotch Plains YMCA for her Junior/Senior years. Coach Ellen attended and swam for King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
When she isn’t coaching, Coach Ellen works for Verizon Wireless as a Principal Engineer in Global Network and Technology organization.
Assistant Coaches ───────
Ed Cerbone
Coach Ed is a Toms River, NJ native and has been coaching for GSCY since 2017. He began swimming when he was 8 years old for the Toms River YMCA, now OCY.
Ed attended Toms River High School East, where he swam all four years and then went on to swim at Rider University. Ed graduated from Rider University in May 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on Computer Information Systems. Ed is married with two children and three cats.
By day, Ed is a Software Engineer for an international education company. Ed enjoys cooking and travel. His favorite place in the world can be found near 18.350° N, 64.7420° W.
John Gatti
Profile Coming Soon
Jennifer Fischl
Coach Jenn has been a swim coach for 21 years. She coached at the Westfield YMCA for 10 years, primarily working with the 10/U group. After getting married, she coached for 9 years at the Hunterdon County YMCA, coaching 12/U as well as senior athletes. Aside from swimming, she also coached lacrosse at the high school level for Westfield, Princeton, and Mount St. Mary's. More recently, Coach Jenn got involved first as a parent at GSCY, with her daughter Abigail swimming for the team. She then stepped up as an assistant coach before being the lead coach for the Bronze 2S group.
Coach Jenn is an ASCA II certified coach, and she also has her teaching certification for elementary education for the state of New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and English.
Prior to coaching, Coach Jenn was always involved in sports, being a multi-sport athlete in elementary through high school in cross country, basketball, and track. After high school, Coach Jenn swam Division III college for all 4 years at Kean University, and was a two-sport athlete, playing all 4 years as a defender for Kean's inaugural women's lacrosse team.
In her spare time, Coach Jenn enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, hiking, and spending time with her dog Hazel.
Courtney DeRosa
Coach Courtney has been coaching swim since she was a high school swimmer in Upstate, NY. She swam in high school and college and had the opportunity to travel to Europe to swim with her club team. Coaching swim has traveled with her from NY to VA, and then to NJ where she has lived since 2003. She has coached summer leagues in all 3 states, high school in Virginia, and club swimming in New Jersey. She has been coaching with GSCY with the 12 & under since 2018. When not on deck, she is working as a fourth-grade teacher in Bridgewater.
Scott Neufeld
Profile Coming Soon
Nicole Piazza
Supports groups- Waves and Thunder
Email: nicolepiazza@yahoo.com
Nicole is a USA and YMCA swim coach and proud mom to two daghters who swim with STORM. She began swimming and running competitvely in middle school and has continued every since. Nicold started her first job as a lifeguard in high school and has maintained a lifelong love of all water sports. She is also an avid triathlete and can often be found training for her next race.
Outside of the pool, Nicole is a registered dietitian and chef. She's passionate about health and always happy to chat about sports nutrition and fueling young athletes.
Nicole especially enjoys working with younger swimmers and helping them build confidence while mastering the fundamentals. She will be voluteer coaching with Waves and Thunder groups.
Kurt Rotthoff
Supports groups-
Email:
Profile Coming Soon
Lauren barnicle
Profile Coming Soon
Adele Morgan
Supports groups-
Email:
Coach Adele has been coaching for the Y since 1999. In addition to the Y, she has been the Assistant Coach of Hillsborough High School since 2004. She is a certified coach with: ASCA Level II (American Swim Coaches Association), USMS Level 3 (United States Masters Swimming), NISCA (National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association of America), and USA Swimming. In addition, she is Red Cross certified in Lifeguarding, CPR, First Aid, Safety Training for Swim Coaches and Water Safety Instruction. Additionally she is certified as a Water Exercise and Yoga Instructor.
At the Y, Coach Adele worked mostly with the 12 & under age group. Teaching the fundamentals of swimming is her strength as a coach. She strives to have her swimmers learn to do things the right way, so as they progress in the sport, they have the right skills to build upon.
In addition to being the team manager for GSCY Storm, she also teaches water aerobics. She was also the founder and race director (2000-2015) of the Y’s Hillsborough Hop 5K. After leaving the sport of competitive swimming herself, Coach Adele competed in the running and multisport world as well as Master’s swimming and open water events. Coach Adele continues to swim, bike, teach aqua ex, and walk (less running now) to stay on top of "getting older”! Her ultimate goal is staying healthy and strong! She is also a firm believer in yoga and weight training to help stay young. She has competed in all levels of races from 5Ks to marathons, as well as a variety of triathlons, including the Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run). She is a 7-time marathon finisher, having completed four of them under 4 hours - one being a Boston qualifier, which she ran 8 months after having brain surgery in 2005.
Coach Adele has competed in the USMS Open Water Champs 2.5K in Lake George, the Alcatraz Island Invitational Swim, The Princeton Half-Ironman, and many other endurance events over the years. Without question, IRONMAN LOUISVILLE goes down as her favorite - not only for the race day (week) experience, but for committing to 8 months of training to prepare for it. She has also qualified for her 4th USAT National Age Group Triathlon Championships, but has yet to attend. Being an athlete herself, Coach Adele also knows that setbacks and injuries are part of being an athlete. She has been through her share of PT over the years and has recovered from Chiari brain surgery in 2005 (ask to see her scar and she’ll tell you more about it), a bike crash 6 weeks prior to the Princeton Half-Ironman in 2014, cervical spinal fusion surgery in 2017, as well as numerous running, biking, and “life” injuries. It’s never easy to recover as the process is always slow and steady, but if you stick with it and follow the plan, it usually works.
One of her biggest goals is to be a positive role model for her swimmers, showing them how making health and fitness a priority in their lives will make their lives more fulfilling. As a team manager, she hopes her swimmers see that hard work, integrity, good moral character, and being an optimistic person just makes life easier and more rewarding. Swimming teaches teamwork, discipline and commitment, and she hopes her swimmers will embrace those values as a swimmer with GSCY.
Mary Ellen Pestrichelli Dwane
Coach Mary Ellen was a member of the GSCY (formerly SVY) Swim Team family from age 8 to age 18, then for the University of Texas Longhorns. While at Texas she served as Team Captain her senior year where her team placed 2nd overall at the NCAA Div. 1 National Championships.
Some additional accomplishments include:
- Phillips 66 US Swimming National Championship Finalist
- NCAA Division I National Championship Consolation Finalist
- Junior National East Champion
- NJSIAA High School Meet of Champions winner
- YMCA National Championship multiple finalist including a member of two first place relays and a member of the 1990 Women's Team Champions
Currently, Mary Ellen is an assistant coach with 8 & Under Waves Group. When away from the pool deck, Coach Mary Ellen enjoys her career with a local insurance company and has two children (Will and Katie) on the team.
