SEPT 12, 2024 | SPORTS | By Grant Loui
Last Friday, the Colorado College swim team was buzzing with excitement as they met their new assistant coach, Max McHugh. A former four-time NCAA D1 champion, McHugh joined Jen Buffin’s coaching lineup after former head coach Anne Goodman James retired in May.
Buffin appointed four-time NCAA champion McHugh as her assistant coach in early September. McHugh graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2023 and was the assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas for the 2023-2024 academic year while continuing to train professionally. However, one week ago, he announced his retirement from swimming on Instagram.
Shortly after announcing his retirement, he shared he would be coaching at Colorado College. McHugh is a seven-time Big Ten champion and was unanimously voted as the Big Ten Conference Swimmer of the Year in 2021. According to the University of Minnesota, McHugh is one of five former student-athletes to hold at least four NCAA championship titles and tallied nine All-American honors in his collegiate career.
Member of CC swim and dive Pilar Pagni ‘27 was familiar with McHugh and his accomplishments prior to being named assistant coach. “He will be great for the program, and I’m so excited to be coached by him,” Pagni said.
Buffin coached the 2016 Philippines Olympic team and the 2015 Southeast Asian Games and served alongside Goodman James for two years. Pagni worked with Buffin last year and was excited about Buffin’s role as the new head coach. Pagni described Buffin as “innovative, creative, knowledgeable, and full of passion for swimming and diving.”
“[Goodman James] and [Buffins] were so close and collaborative that it never felt like [Buffins] was less powerful than [Goodman James],” Pagni said on Buffin’s transition into head coach, “[Buffins] is doing a great job continuing Anne’s legacy.”
As with any new hire or coaching staff, the team has a learning curve. However, McHugh’s age and experience may not be a problem. His accomplishments represent new ideas and new ways of looking at things, and his age is promising for team members.
“It’s nice as he can relate to [us] more,” said Pagni. “Being a recent athlete, he is up to date. This is exciting and because of the rise in the program new events are being introduced to us this year.”
Because of the experience and prestige of the new coaching staff, along with what Pagni described as a “rise in the program over the last couple of years,” the Tigers will be a team to watch this year.
For the swim team, there is an eagerness about the season’s start. The “one team” as Pagni described, trains together and while they frequently compete individually, operates as a unit. The patient, dedicated and loud community and culture drew national champion McHugh to CC. Even without a championship staff, their passion, love and dedication to the sport has created a championship culture.