Skip Nitardy, head coach of the men’s and women’s swimming teams at the University of Maine, resigned Tuesday evening, according to Maine Athletic Director Blake James.
“We respect Skip’s decision to resign. This is unfortunate for the program, but I am confident that coach [Susan] Lizzotte will step up and carry the responsibilities,” James said.
James explained that he and his staff will evaluate options regarding naming a replacement for Nitardy.
The Black Bear swimmers competed in the preseason Blue/White meet last weekend and are scheduled to open the season later this month. The women open Oct. 17 in Boston against Northeastern University and Central Connecticut University and the men open Oct. 23 against Bryant University.
Lizzotte, according to James, will assume all responsibilities associated with head coaching.
“She is one person on a staff that has been a staff of two. We will do our best to support her,” he said.
Lizzotte has been an assistant with the Black Bears since 2000. The 1999 graduate of Maine swam for the Black Bears, earning two scholar-athlete awards, and was a four-year Most Valuable Swimmer.
“We will go forward as a program. We will achieve the goals set this year for the program,” James said. “We have wonderful student athletes.”
James and members of his senior staff conducted meetings with members of both teams, informing them of Nitardy’s resignation.
“The kids were surprised. Any time there is change, there will be a reaction. Human nature is that one doesn’t like change,” James said.
The Maine AD referred to Nitardy’s notice as “a surprise development.”
James could not confirm Nitardy’s attendance or absence at the teams’ morning training on Tuesday. Nitardy did not attend Tuesday’s afternoon practice. James did confirm that he and Nitardy met Tuesday afternoon.
Efforts to reach Nitardy for comment were unsuccessful.
Nitardy was set to begin his third season as Maine’s head coach. Prior to his appointment at Maine, he served from 2004-2007 as senior director of Aquatics and Competitive Swimming at the Bangor YMCA.
An alumnus of the University of South Alabama, Nitardy spent 11 years as the senior director of Aquatics and Competitive Swimming at the Darien YMCA in Connecticut.
In commenting on Nitardy’s tenure as head coach of the Maine swim program, James said, “There are always areas that can be improved.” However, he added that could be said of any athletic program.
James expects to make a decision in the upcoming days regarding the direction of the search for Maine’s next coach.
“The university policy regarding the search process will be followed,” he said.