Four-time NCAA champion and former University of Minnesota swimmer Max McHugh will be hanging up the goggles, which he announced via an Instagram post made on Wednesday.
Swimming has been incredibly generous to me, and I’m thankful for every moment. Thank you @gopherswimdive and @doorcountyymca for your unwavering support.
Thank you teammates, family, and friends, your encouragement has meant the world to me. Here’s to new beginnings and Go Gophers! 〽️
McHugh, who swam at Minnesota for five seasons spanning from 2018 to 2023, is best known for being one of the greatest short course breaststrokers of this generation. After finishing third at NCAAs his freshman year in the 100 breast, he went on to win the 2021, 2022, and 2023 NCAA titles in the event — being one of seven men’s swimmers to win the event three times. His best time of 49.90 in the event makes him the third-fastest swimmer in the event’s history, as well as one of three swimmers to break the 50-second barrier in the race. He won each of his 100 breast titles in dominant fashion too — he never had a margin of victory less than 0.59 seconds.
In addition to his 100 breast success, McHugh also won the 2021 NCAA title in the 200 breast. He also finished second for the event in 2019 and 2022, and third in 2023.
On a Big Ten stage, McHugh was dominant across both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, winning titles in both races in 2021, 2022, 2023. He was also the 2020 Big Ten Champion in the 100 breast and the 2019 champion in the 200 breast.
Although McHugh was not as successful in long course as he was on the NCAA level, he still showed flashes of potential in the big pool. He finished 7th in the 100 breast final at the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials, and set a best time of 59.57 in the event that same year. That personal best got him named onto the 2021-22 U.S. National team. He also had a potential breakthrough long course swim at the 2023 U.S. National championships, where he went a would-be best time of 26.84 in the prelims of the 50 breast (which would have ranked No. 5 amongst American swimmers) but ended up getting disqualified.
McHugh’s final meet was the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials, where he finished 26th in the 100 breast with a time of 1:01.25.
With McHugh’s swimmer career in the rearview, he now has picked up coaching as a career. He was just named an assistant coach at the Division III Colorado College, after having a stint as a part-time assistant at St. Thomas University.
Hope he coaches diving as well
He was the man. Career tanking as soon as underwater cameras were introduced to officiating probably not a coincidence though, might have a hard time coaching fast breaststroke now that you can’t get away with an extra dolphin kick every stroke.
Getting shot and then winning 4 NCAA titles is so tuff
Wonder if the pay at Colorado College is any better than competitor schools because of how rich the student body is? Median family income there is like $300k
In Colorado Springs? It’s not anywhere close to $300k
of Colorado College students
Don’t forget he got shot and still continued to dominate
Conspiracy theory: he’s moving to Colorado Springs to pursue a pivot to bobsled (a sport notorious for finding second-career athletes).
Bobsled’s based out of Lake Placid I thought
What a career. The absolute pinnacle of perseverence too.
Another would-be ISL superstar essentially forced to retire. Sad, but man what an all-time NCAA legend for Minnesota. That last 100 breast title at his home pool was so special