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IMG Academy
BRADENTON, Fla. (Sept. 17, 2025) – IMG Academy, the world’s leading sports education brand, announced the launch of its newest sports program. This bold expansion marks the fourth sport launched in four years, a testament to IMG Academy’s continued growth and commitment to its mission of empowering student-athletes to win their future both on and off the mat. Driven by its vision to be the global leader in performance and personal development, IMG Academy is expanding access to its world-class resources, providing more student-athletes with the opportunity to pursue their athletic, academic, and personal goals at the highest level.
Following the successful launch of softball and the addition of boys volleyball, the new wrestling program continues IMG Academy’s pursuit to be unrivaled in opportunity and access. As one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation, with a 129% increase in participation in 2021–22, wrestling presents a timely opportunity to deepen IMG Academy’s impact here and beyond. Wrestling is set to begin in 2026 with a series of spring and summer camps, leading up to the official launch of the boarding school program in August.
“At IMG Academy, our commitment to empowering student-athletes to win their future fuels our continuous evolution and has allowed us to grow our campus offering at a revolutionary pace over the last several years,” said Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer at IMG Academy - Campus. “The launch of wrestling as our 11th overall sport marks an unrivaled milestone for our team, students, and families, and we cannot wait to see what we can accomplish under our wrestling leadership.”
To lead its newly launched wrestling program, IMG Academy has appointed Enock Francois as its Wrestling Director. Francois brings a distinguished track record of athletic and academic excellence, along with extensive coaching experience at top collegiate programs. He comes to IMG Academy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as an assistant wrestling coach under Rob Koll, an NCAA National Champion, four-time All-American, and three-time ACC Champion.
“It’s not often that any school can say they have launched four sports in four years,” said Brian Nash, Vice President of Athletics. “This achievement truly makes IMG Academy a one-of-a-kind place. Wrestling is a rapidly growing youth sport with incredible momentum, and its impact has the potential to be monumental for us, our student-athletes, and the wrestling community. We are proud to have Dr. Francois, a decorated athlete and visionary leader, at the helm as we bring this program to life, starting in 2026.”
A former three-time collegiate All-American and national finalist with a career record of 140-16, Francois also competed as a member of the USA Wrestling Greco-Roman National Team in 2017 and qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials. Beyond the mat, Francois earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and holds advanced degrees in Special Education and Psychology. He has led impactful K–12 Special Education and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, supporting hundreds of students and educators. His coaching résumé includes leadership roles at Stanford University, West Point, and Cornell University.
“IMG Academy sets the standard for developing student-athletes who excel both in sport and in life, which is exactly why I’m drawn to this opportunity,” said Francois. “Wrestling has the potential to thrive in an environment like this, one that pushes for discipline, growth, and long-term success. I aim to build a program that not only competes at the highest level but also shapes young student-athletes into confident leaders and well-rounded individuals.”
With the added strength of IMG Academy’s online service, NCSA College Recruiting, which supports more than 190,000 student-athletes in wrestling, IMG Academy is uniquely positioned to succeed in this new program. This integration reflects how IMG Academy continues to earn its growth by delivering on its purpose to support student-athletes at every step of their journey – helping them win their future.
The initiative has garnered support from renowned leaders and figures within the IMG Academy and Wrestling community:
Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling: The launch of wrestling at IMG Academy is a game-changing moment for our sport. IMG Academy has been a leader in developing holistic student-athletes, and bringing wrestling into that environment will elevate the standard and expand opportunities for young wrestlers across the country. This is more than a program launch; it is an investment in the future of wrestling.
Jordan Burroughs, Olympic Gold Medalist and Six-Time World Champion: I am thrilled to hear that IMG Academy is launching a wrestling program. IMG Academy is one of the most prestigious athletic high schools in the country, and they certainly know how to build champions. I am confident this will carry over to their wrestling program.
Rob Koll, UNC Wrestling Head Coach: It has been an honor to work alongside Dr. Enock Francois at Cornell, Stanford, and UNC, and I’m thrilled to see him step into the role of Wrestling Athletic Director for IMG Academy’s inaugural wrestling program. Enock’s intelligence and creativity are remarkable, but his true strength lies in his ability to lead and inspire. Enock’s transformative vision sees wrestling as a platform to forge both champions and leaders. With his proven ability to build powerhouse programs at Cornell, Stanford, and UNC, Enock is the perfect leader to launch and elevate IMG Academy’s wrestling program into a national contender. I’m excited to witness his vision come to life in this groundbreaking chapter.
Continuing to broaden its world-class offerings, IMG Academy is excited to announce the addition of Wrestling to its 2026 camp lineup. This new offering will be part of the IMG Academy camp program and included in the Camp Pass promotion, which gives families unmatched flexibility and value. With Camp Pass, families can choose camp dates later and access customizable programs, expert coaching, and year-round training at IMG Academy’s world-class facilities. Each camp pass also includes a year of IMG Academy+ resources and new wrestling options, helping student-athletes elevate their skills both on and off the field.
To learn more about wrestling and camp pass at IMG Academy, please visit:
Boarding School: https://www.imgacademy.com/boarding-schoo/wrestling
Wrestling Camp: https://www.imgacademy.com/sport-camps/wrestling
Wrestling Camp Pass: https://www.imgacademy.com/camp-pass
About IMG Academy
IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing a holistic education model that empowers student-athletes to win their future, preparing them for college and for life. IMG Academy provides growth opportunities for all student-athletes through an innovative suite of on-campus and online experiences:
- Boarding school and camps, via a state-of-the-art campus in Bradenton, Fla.
- Online coaching via IMG Academy+, with a focus on personal development through the lens of sport and performance
- Online college recruiting, via NCSA and SportsRecruits, providing unmatched college recruiting education and services to student-athletes and their families, club coaches, and event operators, and is the premier service for college coaches.
To learn more about IMG Academy and its on-campus and online experiences, visit www.imgacademy.com.
