Bridgewater College

Mike Giancola was named the Eagles' assistant head coach prior to the 2022 season and remains the team's defensive coordinator for a fifth season heading into 2023, while working with the secondary.

The Bridgewater defense shined in the 2022 season as they led all divisions of the NCAA in turnovers as the team paced the nation in turnover margin for a majority of the year. The team saw five players earn an All-ODAC selection on the defensive side of the ball with three on the first team. Freshman Aaron Nice made an immediate impact on the defensive unit as he set an ODAC record with 6.5 sacks and became the first Eagle in over 20 years to finish with at least 10.0 sacks. In addition, Aaron Moore led the conference in solo tackles and earned an all-region selection following a pair of D3football.com Team of the Week picks. Giancola's defense earned nearly half of the ODAC Defensive Player of the Week honors and picked up four Team of the Week honors during the course of the season, while Nice claimed State Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Virginia Sports Information Directors.  

In 2021, six Eagles defensive players garnered All-ODAC honors, highlighted by Chase Rosenthal and Brett Tharp who each also earned all-region laurels from D3football.com.

The 2020-21 Eagle defense featured first team All-American linebacker Brett Tharp, four All-State selections (including first teamers Tharp and Shawn Harris) and three All-ODAC honorees.

Bridgewater football returned to the NCAA tournament in 2019, going 10-1 and clinching the ODAC championship at home vs. Randolph-Macon. The Eagles hosted a first round tournament game and were ranked #20 in the postseason polls.

The Eagle defense featured one All-American (Re'Shaun Myers- the State and ODAC Player of the Year), two All-Region selections, four All-State players and nine All-ODAC honorees.

Bridgewater had the ODAC's top unit in 2018 in both total defense (341.0 yards per game) and rushing defense (125.2 ypg). Junior linebacker Re'Shaun Myers was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year and was recognized by multiple organizations as a State Player of the Year.

Giancola's two years coaching the defensive line resulted in three All-ODAC selections (including both Muhammad Khan and Roger White in 2018).

Bridgewater's 2017 defensive line featured the VaSID State Defensive Rookie of the Year (freshman Rashad Wood)- the program's first-ever State Rookie of the Year. Khan was also named to the All-ODAC team.

Giancola was the defensive coordinator at Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va. in 2016, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to their second consecutive Virginia High School League 6-A state championship.

Giancola graduated from Westfield in 2006 and then went on to graduate from Virginia Tech in 2010.

He was a linebacker and a team captain at Westfield, and a member of the school's 2003 State Championship team.