Chat with us
9 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST
BRADENTON, Fla. (Jan.20, 2026) – IMG Academy, the world's leading sports education brand, has announced John Hargis as the new Director of Swimming. Hargis, an Olympic gold medalist and decorated competitive swimmer, will lead the launch of IMG Academy Swimming in 2027, guiding student-athletes at all levels to reach their full potential both in and out of the pool.
IMG Academy Swimming was announced in November 2025, marking the third new sport to be introduced by IMG Academy last year, following Wrestling and Boys Volleyball. The addition reflects IMG Academy’s continued investment in expanding world-class training opportunities across a broad range of sports. IMG Academy offers 12 sports programs and 21 total sports on its 600-acre campus.
Hargis brings a wealth of experience to IMG Academy as both an elite competitor and an accomplished collegiate and club coach. A member of the gold medal–winning U.S. men’s 4×100-meter medley relay team at the 1996 Olympic Games, Hargis later built a distinguished coaching career spanning more than two decades. He served as Head Coach of the University of Pittsburgh men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs from 2016 to 2022 and previously served as Head Coach at The Pennsylvania State University. An Auburn University graduate, he also made coaching stops at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Auburn University. Hargis also ran the Little Rock Arkansas Dolphins, one of the largest and most prominent swimming clubs in the country. Under his leadership, he developed numerous conference and national-level student-athletes, earning a reputation for cultivating both athletic excellence and personal growth.
“With swimming’s unique ability to impact IMG Academy’s boarding school, camps, and elite Olympic training pathways, the launch of the program required a truly world-class leader, and John is the perfect person to lead our program,” said Brian Nash, Vice President of Athletics. “His passion for the sport, combined with his Olympic pedigree and proven leadership, makes him the ideal person to build and lead IMG Academy Swimming. John’s vision and experience will inspire our student-athletes and elevate the program to new heights.”
The program will be anchored by a state-of-the-art Aquatic Center currently under construction on IMG Academy’s campus. Designed to support both elite training and competition, the Aquatic Center will offer Olympic-caliber amenities and the flexibility to host a wide range of training environments, positioning IMG Academy as a premier global destination for swimming development. The state-of-the-art Aquatic Center is scheduled to open in March 2027, with swimming camps beginning that summer and the boarding school program launching in the fall of 2027.
“Adding swimming to IMG Academy is a significant moment for the sport, and the opportunity to help build it from the ground up was one that deeply motivated my family and me to be here,” said Hargis. “The energy surrounding IMG Academy and its unwavering commitment to developing the whole student-athlete, academically, athletically, and personally, sets the global standard in sports education. My focus is on assembling the right people and creating a program that will stand as a benchmark for swimming globally."
To learn more about Swimming at IMG Academy, please visit here.
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.
