Press release courtesy:Georgetown Athletics.
WASHINGTON – Georgetown University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed named Jack Leavitt as the head coach for the men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs on the Hilltop.
Leavitt, a Seton Hall graduate who was a BIG EAST individual champion as a collegian, comes to Georgetown after spending the last three years as the head coach at the California Institute of Technology.
“I’m very excited to have Jack take over as the head coach for our swim program,” Reed said. “He brings a strong background in recruiting some of the best and brightest to different institutions and I think he is a great fit for the young men and women on the Hilltop. Jack’s familiarity the BIG EAST Conference and Georgetown will serve our program well.”
While in Pasadena, Leavitt’s program increased win totals and points earned in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships (SCIAC), in each of his three seasons, while breaking 31 school records, guiding the first female conference champion in school history and having two student-athletes post NCAA “B” cut standards.
“It’s a great honor to be able to come to Georgetown as the head coach for this program,” Leavitt said. “Having competed in the BIG EAST as an undergraduate, I have a great familiarity with the swim program and it’s exciting to step into a program that has been among the best in the league in recent years. I am excited to work with the tremendous young men and women on the goal of matching our academic success with success in the pool.”
Prior to his appointment with the Caltech program, Leavitt served as the assistant coach at the United States Military Academy. While with the Black Knights, he was primarily in charge of training the distance swimmers as well as all aspects of recruitment for the men’s team. In 2013, the Patriot League honored the men’s team with the coaching staff of the year award.
Leavitt began his coaching career as an assistant for the women’s program at New York University. During his two-year stint at NYU, Leavitt helped coordinate the team’s recruiting efforts, designed training plans for the swimmers, arranged travel and implemented a strength and conditioning program. He also helped develop several NCAA Division III All-Americans, and was a member of the 2009 University Athletic Association (UAA) Coaching Staff of the Year.
After his time at NYU, Leavitt moved to Boston to work with the Harvard University men’s program. During his time with the Crimson, he worked with all of the groups on deck, learning under United States Olympic Coach Tim Murphy.
While in Boston, Leavitt also served as the head coach for the Bay and Ocean State Squids/Crimson Aquatics. With the club team, Leavitt was responsible for the training and competitive development of more than 100 swimmers in the Gold Medal Swim Club. He expanded the team from 60 swimmers to more than 100 in his first season, and mentored three Junior National qualifiers and one Senior National qualifier.
A four-year standout in the pool at Seton Hall University, Leavitt broke three school records and won the BIG EAST title in the 100-yard backstroke in 2005. Leavitt, who served as a two-year team captain, was selected MVP of the Seton Hall men’s swimming team as a junior.
Leavitt graduated from Seton Hall in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. A four-year member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team, Leavitt was also Dean’s List student.
A native of the Boston area, Leavitt and his wife, Meghan, were married in 2014.