Wilson Announces Retirement as Head Coach of Swimming and Diving

HANOVER, N.H. — Jim Wilson, the head coach of the Dartmouth men’s and women’s swimming teams, announced his retirement effective at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season.

“It’s truly been an honor to coach at Dartmouth, and I will especially treasure all of the student-athletes I've had the privilege to coach during my tenure,” Wilson said. “I am grateful to have had this opportunity at such a prestigious institution as Dartmouth, but I’m ready to move on to the next stage of my life.”

A veteran in the world of collegiate swimming, Wilson will complete his 23rd year at the helm of the men’s program and his 10th as the women’s head coach. His teams have earned a number of awards and records, both in and out of the pool. Both programs are regularly listed among the Scholar All-America teams by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, and he guided the men and women to top-five finishes at the Ivy League Championships in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

Wilson mentored Nejc Zupan ’14 to men’s All-America honors as the first Big Green swimmer to advance to the NCAA Championships since 1980. Zupan also was the program’s first-ever Swimmer of the Meet at the Ivy League Championships as a junior and the Harold Ulen Career High Points Swimmer Award at Ivies as well during his senior campaign.

The women’s team has enjoyed its share of success under Jim’s leadership as well. The Big Green set eight records and posted 25 all-time top-10 performances at the 2007-08 Ivy League Women’s Championships. More recently, standout senior Kendese Nangle broke three individual records and was a part of four relay teams that broke records at the 2012-13 Ivy Championships.

“We appreciate all the effort and dedication that Jim has put into the swimming and diving program,” said Director of Athletics and Recreation Harry Sheehy. “He has enriched the lives of so many Dartmouth student-athletes during his career here, and we wish him nothing but the best in his retirement.”

Wilson’s first collegiate coaching job was as an assistant at his alma mater, Utah, from 1977-87. He was promoted to head coach of the women’s team in 1987 before assuming head coaching duties of both the men’s and women’s teams in 1990. Wilson’s men’s team won the Western Athletic Conference title in each of his three years at the helm. He also earned individual recognition as the University Coach of the Year in 1992 and the WAC Coach of the Year in 1993. Wilson coached both Utah teams until 1993, when he came to Dartmouth.

He was also a successful water polo coach, coaching Utah’s men’s team from 1980-89 and taking over as Dartmouth’s coach in 1993. In 1997, he guided the Big Green men to the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national title before leading the women to a second-place finish at nationals in 2004 and 2005. In addition, he was named the 2004 National Coach of the Year for women’s water polo.

Wilson was an All-America swimmer at Utah, graduating in 1977 with a degree in telecommunications before earning another degree in exercise and sports science in 1980.

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Retirement of Coach John Gagliardi

On behalf of the President, I want to congratulate John Gagliardi on his retirement as the winningest coach in college football history.

Over the course of 64 seasons – 60 of them at his beloved Saint John’s – Gagliardi’s 486 wins put him among the greatest to ever coach the game.  With a career that began as a 16-year-old after his high school coach was called to serve in World War II, Gagliardi was never the most conventional figure.  He instructed his players to call him “John” instead of “Coach,” and in turn, called each of his more than 100 players by their first names.  His refusal to allow tackling in practice and his insistence that players make class before practice also became the stuff of legend.  But the unusual methods worked – earning St. John’s four national championships.  And even as his time on the gridiron comes to a close, Gagliardi’s genuine concern for players as scholar athletes and human beings will ensure that his influence will be felt for years to come.