UNCP Athletics

Having continued his track record of success after leading the Braves to new heights as their interim head coach during the 2018-19 campaign, Oscar Roverato was named the program’s second head coach on March 21, 2019.

The Braves have had an abundance of success in Roverato's time in Pembroke, raking in 127 All-Conference selections, 55 individual conference champions, 25 Academic All-Conference honorees, four conference Freshman Swimmer of the Year awards, three conference Swimmer of the Year winners, three conference Scholar Athlete of the Year awards, with four swimmers qualifying for a total of nine events at the NCAA Championships. 

The 2024-25 season saw the Braves post a 6-1 record and bring home the Conference Carolinas championship for the second-straight season. Roverato was named Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year for the third-consecutive year, with the squad winning seven event titles at the conference championships and sending 36 swimmers to All-Conference honors. Benedetta Pepe Pugliese qualified for two events at the NCAA Championships.

In 2023-24, UNCP logged an 8-3 record and brought home first place at the Conference Carolinas Championships. Benedetta Pepe Pugliese was named Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, while Roverato took home Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honors, while the team would take home 11 conference titles and have 25 All-Conference selections. Pugliese and Fatima Portillo would go on to become the third and fourth swimmers in program history to qualify for the NCAA Championships, with Pugliese earning the program's first All-American honor. 

In 2022-23, the Braves compiled a 10-3 record and placed second at the Conference Carolinas Championships. Britta Schwengle was named as the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, while Oscar Roverato was tabbed as the Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year. Mariel Mencia Martinez qualified for the NCAA Championships.
 
For the 2021-22 season, the Black & Gold hosted their inaugural swim meet on September 25 when they defeated Campbell 132-130. The Braves compiled a 5-1 record and placed 3rd at the Conference Carolinas Championships. Gillian Manning was named Conference Carolinas Co-Swimmer of the Year, while the team raked in eight conference titles. 

In 2020-21, the Braves picked up its second Mountain East Conference Championship title in two seasons. The team finished the year 4-3 overall in dual meets and sent Gillian Manning to the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, Alabama. Manning was named Mountain East Conference Swimmer of the Meet as well as Mountain East Conference Swimmer of the Year. Anna Miller was recognized as the Mountain East Conference Freshman of the Year, while Oscar Roverato was honored as the Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season. 

During the 2019-20 campaign, Roverato's team picked up five dual meet victories where nearly every school record was broken. The season was highlighted by claiming the Mountain East Conference Championship for the first in school history. Roverato was named the Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year while Nathalia Silva picked up Mountain East Conference Swimmer of the Year as well as Mountain East Conference Freshman of the Year.

Roverato led the Black & Gold to a quartet of dual meet victories over the course of the 2018-19 season, and the Braves picked up their first invitational victory in program history after finishing at the top of a seven-team field at the Greensboro College Mid-Season Invitational. The Black & Gold capped its season with a program-best third place finish at the SCSC Championships in February.
 
He has more than 30 years of coaching experience and came to Pembroke with an impressive foundation of success in the swimming pool. Roverato founded the USA Swimming-certified Fayetteville Aquatic Swim Team in 2005 and has served as both owner and head coach of that organization for the last 15 years. His swimming & diving background also includes a three-year stint as the inaugural coach of the Fort Bragg Fighting Fish, as well as a two-year stay as the aquatics instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
 
Prior to his beginning his career as a swimming & diving coach, Roverato served as an assistant coach for the volleyball and tennis programs at Fayetteville State from 1998-2003. He also served as an associate professor in physical education at Sandhills Community College during the 2007-08 academic year.
 
A Level III-IV USA Swimming-certified coach, Roverato also holds American Red Cross Certifications in first aid, water safety and lifeguard training. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports science from the University of America in 2003, and earned his master’s degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy in 2007.
 
The Italy native and his wife, Shatheta, have two children, Nevaeh and Oscar Jr. Nevaeh became a student-athlete with the swim program beginning with the 2021-22 season.

Updated: June 2025