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.
Remember swimming against Max in the 500 at a YMCA meet in Beaver Dam. Obviously I got smoked, but little did I know I was swimming next to what would be a multi-time NCAA champion and probably one of the greatest swimmers ever to come out of Wisconsin.
Congrats on the career Max, and have fun in life after swimming.
CUE-BALL! One of the greatest to ever do it. Enjoy retirement
Often overlooked is the fact that McHugh would have the fastest 50 breast split in history, but Minnesota’s flyer jumped early DQing the relay at 2023 NCAA’s
I think a funny swim was when he swam at wisconsin D2 HS state he was seeded 3 seconds under the state record(56.60) at 53.30, he ended up going a 51.62 breaking the state and national public HS record. What’s realllly funny is that he also broke the pool record at UW-Madison where the state meet was held so other college people will look and see that pool record 100 breaststoker Max from Sturgen Bay co-op🤣
Yeah, that pool doesn’t exist anymore – It was built in the 60’s and was about 3 feet deep on the start and turn ends. Not the only high schooler to hold pool records there though. Garret Weber-Gale held the 100 free pool record too. Several girls records were from the state meet.
Some of the Minnesota coaches are painfully reckless and can’t coach more than one swimmer if their life depended on it. Unfortunately for Max he was the other one in the last season
Many men, wish death upon me….Cheers to a storied college career, one of the best pure breaststroke specialists SCY has ever seen.
Hope he coaches diving as well
Ski-U-Mah! 〽️ax is Golden for life.