Swimming & Diving
Hargis, John
John Hargis
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Alma Mater:
- Auburn, 1999
- Email:
- jhargis@athletics.pitt.edu
- Phone:
- 412-383-9078
Hargis Highlights at Pitt • By the Numbers
39 • Pitt Swimming & Diving School Records
25 • ACC Championship Finalists
15 • NCAA Championships Qualifiers
13 • All-ACC Academic Team Recognitions
6 • CSCAA All-American Honors
5 • Domestic National Champions
5 • ACC Medalists
3 • ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Entering his sixth season as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh swimming & diving programs, John Hargis’ leadership has seen Pitt take significant strides towards greatness in the pool.
A 1996 Olympic gold medalist for Team USA with two decades of collegiate coaching experience at the highest levels of the sport, Hargis and his energetic staff have brought a newfound belief to the Panthers’ swimming & diving program in the four years since he became the head coach.
During Hargis’ time in Pittsburgh, 15 of his student-athletes have qualified for NCAA Championships, with six All-America honors earned, while the Panthers’ record books have been almost entirely re-written.
Highlighting Pitt’s dynamic and historic improvement under Hargis’ tutelage, all but three Pitt swimming records have been broken since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, an incredible achievement for a program that dates back to 1913.
“Swimming & diving student-athletes at the University of Pittsburgh have the opportunity to achieve their athletic dreams while attending one of the most prestigious research and academic institutions in the world,” said Hargis. “As coaches, we’re committed to helping our athletes reach their goals in both arenas. We strive to develop disciplined, hard-working athletes within a strong, successful team culture. Every athlete in our pool also dreams of representing their home country on the international stage, and we aim to assist in making that dream a reality.”
At Pitt, Hargis and his staff have already managed to recruit and develop several student-athletes who have excelled competitively and academically with the Panthers while building an international reputation as well.
Two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree Samy Helmbacher won three individual medley national titles in his native France and also earned a place on the France national swimming team for the 2019 World University Games and the 2018 Mediterranean Games.
Helmbacher graduated in 2020 with a degree in industrial engineering and finished his collegiate career at Pitt holding three individual school swimming records.
Another All-ACC Academic Team member who set multiple Pitt swimming records, Eben Vorster earned his first South African national championship in the 200-meter individual medley in 2019, qualifying for the prestigious World Championships after previously representing his home nation at the Commonwealth Games and World University Games whilst a member of the Panthers.
Furthermore, rising senior Shahar Menahem has won an Israeli national championship in the 200-meter backstroke and qualified for the European Championships during her collegiate career, while several other Panthers boast domestic and international hopes for the future.
The 2019-20 campaign once again highlighted Pitt’s consistent improvement under Coach Hargis.
Qualifying five individuals for championship finals at one of the top conference meets in the nation, the Pitt men’s team capped the 2020 ACC Championships with its highest-ever points total (520) and best team finish (eighth) since the Panthers joined the league in 2013. Sprinter Blaise Vera and divers Serena Buchwald and Amy Read each earned All-America designations at the completion of the season after qualifying for the NCAA Championships, while three more Panthers earned All-ACC Academic honors.
Pitt’s 2018-19 season also featured significant milestones as multiple men’s swimmers – Helmbacher and Vera – represented the Panthers at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2002, while Read qualified for nationals as a freshman. The men’s team was one of the big stories of the 2019 ACC Championships, with the Panthers posting massive time improvements as well as earning top-five relay finishes for the first time. Vera and Helmbacher became Pitt’s first ACC men’s swimming medalists while 14 school records fell at the conference meet, including all five relay records. The women’s team also broke six school records during the season.
The 2017-18 campaign was an impressive sign of things to come for the Panthers under Hargis. The Pitt women’s team posted a remarkable 15-2 dual-meet record, set a school record with a 14-dual winning streak to finish the campaign and sent four athletes, including seniors Lina Rathsack, Amanda Richey and Meme Sharp, to the NCAA Championships. On the men’s side, 89 percent of the team’s points at the ACC Championships were scored by freshmen and sophomores, highlighting the youthful talent developing for the Panthers.
Hargis' debut campaign with the Panthers in 2016-17 resulted in notable improvements across the board as his new staff established a fun-yet-competitive environment on Pitt's pool deck each day at practice while hitting the recruiting trail vigorously. In the pool, the Pitt men's and women's swimming & diving teams each increased their points total from the previous season at the 2017 ACC Championships, with the men scoring 513 points at the conference meet.
Hargis’ first season at Pitt also saw the Panthers send four athletes to the 2017 NCAA Championships. Led by All-America performances by diver Dominic Giordano and Rathsack, the men’s and women’s teams finished 34th and 41st, respectively, at the top meet in collegiate swimming & diving.
Shortly after Hargis was hired, the Panthers also unveiled a $3 million renovation to Trees Pool, highlighted by refurbished locker rooms for both teams, a team room and lounge area, a nutrition center and a state-of-the-art LED video board.
A 1996 Olympic gold medalist and 12-time NCAA All-American during his own swimming career, Hargis spent three seasons as the associate head coach at his alma mater, Auburn, before coming to Pitt. Additionally, he was previously the head coach at Penn State from 2008-13.
At Auburn, Hargis helped lead a program that annually contended for top honors in the Southeastern Conference and nationally. In 2016, the Tigers' men's team finished 10th at the NCAA Championships. The swimmers under Hargis’ direction broke three school records and won five titles at the SEC Championships. While at Auburn, Hargis also coached Annie Lazor to a Bronze Medal at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
As head coach at Penn State, Hargis established the Nittany Lions as perennial contenders in the Big Ten. In five seasons, his student-athletes produced 74 All-America performances. In Hargis’ final season, the Penn State men and women combined for 20 All-America citations at the 2013 NCAA Championships.
During his Penn State tenure, he also coached on the international level. Working as an assistant for Team USA at the 2011 World University Games, Hargis helped the Americans earn 13 medals.
Prior to Penn State, Hargis spent the 2007-08 season as head women’s coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also spent time as the head coach and the chief executive officer of the Little Rock Arkansas Dolphins swim club, which enjoyed unprecedented championship success under his watch.
Hargis also served as a collegiate assistant coach at Arkansas-Little Rock (2006-07), Penn State (2003-06) and UNLV (2002-03).
A native of Clinton, Ark., Hargis is a 1999 graduate of Auburn with a degree in health promotion/sports management. One of the most decorated swimmers to come out of the state of Arkansas, he was inducted into the Arkansas State Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001 and was selected as one of Arkansas' Top 100 All-Time Greatest Athletes.
Hargis was part of Auburn’s first NCAA championship-winning team in 1997 as well as the Tigers’ initial SEC championship squad in 1994. In addition to a dozen All-America citations, he was a three-time SEC champion in the 100-yard butterfly. Hargis won an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Games in Atlanta as a member of the 400-meter medley relay team.
He and his wife Lauren, a Pitt graduate, have three children: daughter Faith and sons John and Nathan.
Beyond the Bio
Favorite Place on Pitt's Campus
The Victory Walk between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel. The view of the beautiful chapel combined with reading the names of past Pitt greats on the Varsity Walk is truly inspiring.
Favorite Thing to Do in Pittsburgh
A day at Heinz Field or PNC Park with my family. You can't beat watching the black and gold with the loves of your life.
Favorite Aspect of Working for Pitt Athletics
Helping student-athletes achieve something they didn't think they could do and pushing them to utilize their talents to the fullest.
Favorite Quote
"If you want something you have never had, you must do something you have never done."
39 • Pitt Swimming & Diving School Records
25 • ACC Championship Finalists
15 • NCAA Championships Qualifiers
13 • All-ACC Academic Team Recognitions
6 • CSCAA All-American Honors
5 • Domestic National Champions
5 • ACC Medalists
3 • ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Entering his sixth season as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh swimming & diving programs, John Hargis’ leadership has seen Pitt take significant strides towards greatness in the pool.
A 1996 Olympic gold medalist for Team USA with two decades of collegiate coaching experience at the highest levels of the sport, Hargis and his energetic staff have brought a newfound belief to the Panthers’ swimming & diving program in the four years since he became the head coach.
During Hargis’ time in Pittsburgh, 15 of his student-athletes have qualified for NCAA Championships, with six All-America honors earned, while the Panthers’ record books have been almost entirely re-written.
Highlighting Pitt’s dynamic and historic improvement under Hargis’ tutelage, all but three Pitt swimming records have been broken since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, an incredible achievement for a program that dates back to 1913.
“Swimming & diving student-athletes at the University of Pittsburgh have the opportunity to achieve their athletic dreams while attending one of the most prestigious research and academic institutions in the world,” said Hargis. “As coaches, we’re committed to helping our athletes reach their goals in both arenas. We strive to develop disciplined, hard-working athletes within a strong, successful team culture. Every athlete in our pool also dreams of representing their home country on the international stage, and we aim to assist in making that dream a reality.”
At Pitt, Hargis and his staff have already managed to recruit and develop several student-athletes who have excelled competitively and academically with the Panthers while building an international reputation as well.
Two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree Samy Helmbacher won three individual medley national titles in his native France and also earned a place on the France national swimming team for the 2019 World University Games and the 2018 Mediterranean Games.
Helmbacher graduated in 2020 with a degree in industrial engineering and finished his collegiate career at Pitt holding three individual school swimming records.
Another All-ACC Academic Team member who set multiple Pitt swimming records, Eben Vorster earned his first South African national championship in the 200-meter individual medley in 2019, qualifying for the prestigious World Championships after previously representing his home nation at the Commonwealth Games and World University Games whilst a member of the Panthers.
Furthermore, rising senior Shahar Menahem has won an Israeli national championship in the 200-meter backstroke and qualified for the European Championships during her collegiate career, while several other Panthers boast domestic and international hopes for the future.
The 2019-20 campaign once again highlighted Pitt’s consistent improvement under Coach Hargis.
Qualifying five individuals for championship finals at one of the top conference meets in the nation, the Pitt men’s team capped the 2020 ACC Championships with its highest-ever points total (520) and best team finish (eighth) since the Panthers joined the league in 2013. Sprinter Blaise Vera and divers Serena Buchwald and Amy Read each earned All-America designations at the completion of the season after qualifying for the NCAA Championships, while three more Panthers earned All-ACC Academic honors.
Pitt’s 2018-19 season also featured significant milestones as multiple men’s swimmers – Helmbacher and Vera – represented the Panthers at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2002, while Read qualified for nationals as a freshman. The men’s team was one of the big stories of the 2019 ACC Championships, with the Panthers posting massive time improvements as well as earning top-five relay finishes for the first time. Vera and Helmbacher became Pitt’s first ACC men’s swimming medalists while 14 school records fell at the conference meet, including all five relay records. The women’s team also broke six school records during the season.
The 2017-18 campaign was an impressive sign of things to come for the Panthers under Hargis. The Pitt women’s team posted a remarkable 15-2 dual-meet record, set a school record with a 14-dual winning streak to finish the campaign and sent four athletes, including seniors Lina Rathsack, Amanda Richey and Meme Sharp, to the NCAA Championships. On the men’s side, 89 percent of the team’s points at the ACC Championships were scored by freshmen and sophomores, highlighting the youthful talent developing for the Panthers.
Hargis' debut campaign with the Panthers in 2016-17 resulted in notable improvements across the board as his new staff established a fun-yet-competitive environment on Pitt's pool deck each day at practice while hitting the recruiting trail vigorously. In the pool, the Pitt men's and women's swimming & diving teams each increased their points total from the previous season at the 2017 ACC Championships, with the men scoring 513 points at the conference meet.
Hargis’ first season at Pitt also saw the Panthers send four athletes to the 2017 NCAA Championships. Led by All-America performances by diver Dominic Giordano and Rathsack, the men’s and women’s teams finished 34th and 41st, respectively, at the top meet in collegiate swimming & diving.
Shortly after Hargis was hired, the Panthers also unveiled a $3 million renovation to Trees Pool, highlighted by refurbished locker rooms for both teams, a team room and lounge area, a nutrition center and a state-of-the-art LED video board.
A 1996 Olympic gold medalist and 12-time NCAA All-American during his own swimming career, Hargis spent three seasons as the associate head coach at his alma mater, Auburn, before coming to Pitt. Additionally, he was previously the head coach at Penn State from 2008-13.
At Auburn, Hargis helped lead a program that annually contended for top honors in the Southeastern Conference and nationally. In 2016, the Tigers' men's team finished 10th at the NCAA Championships. The swimmers under Hargis’ direction broke three school records and won five titles at the SEC Championships. While at Auburn, Hargis also coached Annie Lazor to a Bronze Medal at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
As head coach at Penn State, Hargis established the Nittany Lions as perennial contenders in the Big Ten. In five seasons, his student-athletes produced 74 All-America performances. In Hargis’ final season, the Penn State men and women combined for 20 All-America citations at the 2013 NCAA Championships.
During his Penn State tenure, he also coached on the international level. Working as an assistant for Team USA at the 2011 World University Games, Hargis helped the Americans earn 13 medals.
Prior to Penn State, Hargis spent the 2007-08 season as head women’s coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also spent time as the head coach and the chief executive officer of the Little Rock Arkansas Dolphins swim club, which enjoyed unprecedented championship success under his watch.
Hargis also served as a collegiate assistant coach at Arkansas-Little Rock (2006-07), Penn State (2003-06) and UNLV (2002-03).
A native of Clinton, Ark., Hargis is a 1999 graduate of Auburn with a degree in health promotion/sports management. One of the most decorated swimmers to come out of the state of Arkansas, he was inducted into the Arkansas State Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001 and was selected as one of Arkansas' Top 100 All-Time Greatest Athletes.
Hargis was part of Auburn’s first NCAA championship-winning team in 1997 as well as the Tigers’ initial SEC championship squad in 1994. In addition to a dozen All-America citations, he was a three-time SEC champion in the 100-yard butterfly. Hargis won an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Games in Atlanta as a member of the 400-meter medley relay team.
He and his wife Lauren, a Pitt graduate, have three children: daughter Faith and sons John and Nathan.
Beyond the Bio
Favorite Place on Pitt's Campus
The Victory Walk between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel. The view of the beautiful chapel combined with reading the names of past Pitt greats on the Varsity Walk is truly inspiring.
Favorite Thing to Do in Pittsburgh
A day at Heinz Field or PNC Park with my family. You can't beat watching the black and gold with the loves of your life.
Favorite Aspect of Working for Pitt Athletics
Helping student-athletes achieve something they didn't think they could do and pushing them to utilize their talents to the fullest.
Favorite Quote
"If you want something you have never had, you must do something you have never done."
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