Courtesy: Wabash Athletics
SwimSwam Note: The announcement came in conjunction with news of Wabash’s new assistant lacrosse coach.
Wabash College welcomes two new assistants to the institution’s coaching staff to start the 2023-2024 season. Nate Webber joins the staff as assistant lacrosse coach, as well as and strength and conditioning coach for all Little Giant programs. Keith Gill comes to Wabash as the Little Giants’ assistant swimming coach.
Webber comes to Wabash after two seasons as a DePauw University assistant lacrosse and strength and conditioning coach. He helped the Tigers win 11 games over the past two seasons, including five North Coast Athletic Conference victories. Webber guided the DePauw defense to create an average of 12.56 turnovers last season, ranking second in the conference and 22nd in the nation. The Tigers ranked 26th among Division III programs and fourth in the NCAC in scoring defense by holding opponents to 8.81 goals a game. DePauw led the conference and ranked 30th in the nation in caused turnovers in 2021, with an average of 11.5 per game under Weber’s guidance.
“I really believe in what Coach Burke and the Wabash athletic department are building with the lacrosse program at Wabash,” Webber said. “It’s something I’m looking forward to being a part of. I learned an aggressive brand of defense as a player at the University of Indianapolis. At Wabash, we will play defense as a cohesive unit with seven players at a time. We will communicate, play together, play fast, and trust each other.”
Webber graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 2020, earning a bachelor of science in exercise science – pre-physical therapy. He earned a master of science degree in exercise science – human performance in 2021. Webber played four seasons on the Greyhounds’ men’s lacrosse team. He was named team captain for the 2020-21 season and earned four Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) all-academic team selections. He played on the Greyhounds’ 2019 NCAA DII national finalist team and was part of two NCAA tournament-qualifying squads. The University of Indianapolis teams won three GLVC tournament titles during Webers’ time there and reached a number-four ranking in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA/) DII poll. The Greyhounds ranked in 35 consecutive USILA DII polls while Weber played for them. He also spent one season as a club coach for Midwest Express lacrosse.
“Nate did a great job as a defensive coordinator at DePauw and will immediately improve the defensive side of the ball for us, which was one of our weak points last season,” Wabash head lacrosse coach Chris Burke said. “He also brings a ton of energy and is used to competing at an extremely high level. Nate is also very personable and likable. He also recruits well. People know who Nate is from playing at the University of Indianapolis and as an assistant coach at DePauw.”
Gill comes to Wabash from the Swim Steamline program at Northhampton in Houston, Texas. He worked with multiple age-group levels and was an assistant for the national and national-select groups. Gill spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Forest Oaks swim team.
“I’ve always wanted to be a collegiate coach,” Gill said. “I’ve been coaching at the club level for a few years and felt ready to jump up. I highly believe in surrounding myself with quality people, and I’ve found that at Wabash. The program has been improving every season under Coach Bernhardt, and I think I can help the team members grow and improve while I grow alongside them.”
Gill earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Southwestern University in 2021. He swam three seasons for the Pirates after competing one year at Purdue University. Gill earned team MVP honors in 2020 at Southwestern and was co-captain of the Pirates’ first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) championship team in 2019. He earned the Southwestern University All-Decade Team Award as the Pirates’ most successful student-athlete from 2010 to 2020. He broke six school records and earned 11 gold medals while competing at the SCAC championship meet throughout his career.
“I’m very excited for what Keith will bring to the program. His passion and energy really showed throughout the interview process,” Wabash head swimming coach Will Bernhardt said. “Keith is very detail oriented and loves working with numbers and analytics. His commitment to the craft of coaching is what really impressed me. He is a sponge and wants to learn everything he can to help his athletes attain great things. I am thrilled to welcome him into the Little Giant family.”
Webber began his duties on August 7. Gill starts his duties on August 14.
Go Little Giants!
As an aside, you guys know you can edit the release to include just the swimming part, right? Although I guess we do all enjoy some hot lacrosse talk around here.
Congratulations Coach Keith!!!! Thank you for all you have done for the swimmers at SSAN! You will be missed!