Matt Charest joined the Hamilton College men's and women's swimming and diving staff as an assistant coach in February 2021. He was a swimmer at Bates College from 2016 to 2020.
In 2022 he helped coach Sam Karlson '23 to all-America honors in the women's 100-yard freestyle. Karlson competed in the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships in three freestyle events and finished in first place in the consolation final (ninth place overall) of the 100 free.
Charest earned all-NESCAC honors for finishing third in the 50-yard breaststroke at the 2019 conference championship meet. He shares the Bates record in the 50 breast and is ranked in the top 10 all-time at the school in the 100 and 200 breast and the 100 individual medley. In 2020 he was part of 200 and 400 medley relays that recorded provisional cut times for the NCAA championships. The Bobcats finished 14th at the 2018 NCAA Division III meet and 24th in 2017.
The team captain represented the Bates men on the NESCAC winter all-sportsmanship team in 2019 and 2020. Charest received the 2019-20 coaches award and was selected the team's most valuable performer after his junior year. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in European history. Charest is from Lewiston, Maine, and graduated from Lewiston High School.
