Cross Country Coaches
Tony Ryan
Head Coach
Tony Ryan joined the Bolles faculty in 1997. He teaches 11th grade English and serves as an 11th grade advisor. Ryan has served as the boys' cross country head coach since 1997 and took over as head coach of the girls' squad as well in 2003.
Ryan guided the girls' team to a banner year in 2004 as the squad claimed district, region and state titles and a sixth place ranking during the season in the Nike Team Nationals Southeast Region Rankings. In 2005, he guided the girls' team to a state runner-up finish and the boys' team to a 12th place finish at state. The girls' squad placed third at state in 2006, while the boys placed 14th . Ryan coached the boys' team to district titles in 1999 and 2000.
Ryan also served as the boys' and girls' track and field head coach from 1998-2003. He led the boys' team to a state title in 1999, a state runner-up finish in 2003, and six straight district titles from 1998-2003. Under Ryan, the girls' track and field team was state runner-up in 1998 and district champions in 2000 and 2003. Ryan returned to the upper school track and field program as an assistant coach focusing on the distance runners in 2006.
Prior to Bolles, Ryan served on the Bishop Kenny High School staff from 1991-97. In addition to teaching 10th and 11th grade English, he coached the girls' cross country team from 1991-96 and served as the boys' and girls' track and field head coach from 1996-97. Ryan led the girls' cross country team to three straight state titles from 1994-96 and consecutive district titles from 1992-96. Ryan guided the boys' and girls' track and field teams to district championships during his two years as head coach, with the girls' team placing third at the state meet in 1997.
Ryan is a graduate of the University of North Florida, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in English. Ryan competed in cross country and track for the Ospreys, earning NAIA All-American honors in indoor and outdoor track in 1988. He was the 1987 Florida Intercollegiate cross country champion in an unofficial collegiate state championships record time of 24:30. Ryan still holds the school record at 5,000 meters (14:12.5). He was also teammates with fellow Bolles faculty member Cormac O'Riordan.
Ryan transferred to UNF after two years at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. While at Austin Peay, he won Ohio Valley Conference titles in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs in 1986, won the conference title in cross country in 1986, was the runner-up in the two mile run in the 1986 indoor conference meet, and was named Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Runner of the year in 1986.
Ryan was born and raised in County Clare, just outside of Limerick, Ireland. He attended high school at Saint Munchin's College in Limerick, competing in cross country and track, as well as rugby and soccer. He helped the cross country team to a second place national ranking as a senior. His wife, Rhonda, also a UNF graduate, is Bolles' director of the resident program for girls. They have two daughters at Bolles: Eilis '11 and Audrey '15. The Ryans also have a son: Aidan.
John Curran
Assistant Coach
John Curran joined the Bolles staff in 2003. He currently works in the School's Communications Department as communications coordinator and serves on the boys' resident staff. Curran began assisting with the cross country program in 2004. He spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the upper school track and field team, working with the Bulldogs' distance runners. He served as head coach of the Bolles middle school track and field team in the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
Prior to Bolles, Curran worked in the University of Georgia Athletic Association's Sports Communications Office as the primary contact for the Bulldogs' cross country and track and field teams, as well as women's soccer.
Curran grew up in Jacksonville, attending Bishop Kenny High School. He was an All-State member of B.K.'s 1991 track and field state championship team. In the fall of 1991, Curran helped the cross country team to a state title and a ranking of 11th in the nation.
Curran attended Florida State University and was a four-year member of the Seminoles' cross country and track and field program. He earned a bachelor's degree in English from F.S.U. and holds a master's degree in sports management from Barry University.
His wife, Beth, is a member of Bolles' upper school English faculty. They have a son: Aidan.
Sean Nagorny
Assistant Coach
Sean Nagorny joined the Bolles cross-country staff in 2006. Nagorny's previous coaching experience includes a stint as assistant cross-country coach at Red Lion High School in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. He coached four state medalists at the 2003 PIAA state cross-country championships. Nagorny currently works for Zurich Insurance Services in Jacksonville.
Nagorny competed in both cross-country and track at Wake Forest University. His successful career with the Demon Deacons included eighth, fourth, and fifth place finishes in the 3000 meter run at the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Atlantic Coast Conference indoor championships, respectively. Nagorny's cross country highlights include an 11th place finish at the 2001 ACC cross country championships and he helped the Demon Deacons earn back-to-back NCAA cross-country championships berths in 2000 and 2001. His personal bests include a 3:51 in the 1500 meter run, 8:22 at 3000 meters, 14:40 in the 5000, and 25:02 at 8000 meters. Nagorny graduated from Wake Forest in 2002, earning a degree in political science.
A native of York, Pennsylvania, Nagorny is a graduate of York Suburban High School. He earned all-state honors and won back-to-back district championships in cross-country. Nagorny was also a two-time runner up at the state track champioships in the 3200 meter run.
Melissa Machaj-Abbs
Assistant Coach
Melissa Machaj-Abbs joined the Bolles track and field and cross country coaching staff in 2007. Machaj-Abbs is also a realtor with Keller Williams First Coast Realty.
In her first season coaching track and field at Bolles, Machaj-Abbs was part of a staff that guided 16 athletes to the state meet, the second highest number of state qualifiers from any school. Thirteen members of the Bolles state meet contingent placed in the top eight. She also coached athletes who broke eight school records.
From 2003-05, Machaj-Abbs served as the co-head coach of the boys' and girls' track team at her alma mater, La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. At La Lumiere, she coached athletes who broke five school records.
As an athlete in high school, Machaj-Abbs was a college bound sprinter until she sustained a severe knee injury and was unable to continue her athletic career. In high school, she was also a cheerleader, played volleyball and basketball, and was one of two girls on the boys' soccer team.
A 1998 graduate of Flagler College, Machaj-Abbs earned a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations and journalism. Her husband, Trevor Abbs, is a dean at Bartram Trail High School, where he coaches football, weightlifting, and track and field.
Suzi Seolas
Assistant Coach
Suzi Seolas joined the Bolles cross country staff in 2007. She has run her own sports therapy practice, Canyon River Sports Therapy, for the last 18 years. She moved to the Julington Creek area in 2006 from Oahu, Hawaii. She also works as a personal fitness and nutrition trainer, and coaches individuals training for triathlons.
Seolas grew up in California and Hawaii. She began running after high school and joined the BYU-Hawaii cross country team. She helped the team to an NCIA state title and was offered a track scholarship, but declined to continue her studies in San Diego. Seolas began competing in triathlons in 1985, logging several age group wins. She was invited to run with the Fila-Hawaii running team and competed her way into a sponsorship offer from 2002-04.
Seolas earned a degree in sports therapy from Mueller College in San Diego. She has three children: Sarah (16), Sydney (14), and Samuel (8).