Tennessee Promote Josh Huger to Associate Head Coach
Josh Huger has been promoted to associate head coach by the University of Tennessee, it announced on Friday.
Huger had been an assistant coach, leading the UT sprinters as well as serving as its recruiting coordinator. Huger was hired in the spring of 2019, arriving in Knoxville after four years as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech.
“I’m thrilled to announce the promotion of Josh to Associate Head Coach,” Tennessee director of swimming and diving Matt Kredich said in a university release. “This promotion is recognition of the magnitude of his role on the team. Josh’s contributions during his time at Tennessee have been critical to our success as a program. He brings great energy, enthusiasm, and creativity to the pool deck every day, and all of our athletes have benefitted tremendously from his coaching. As recruiting coordinator, Josh has consistently helped us bring in people who are ideally suited to develop in our environment. This includes some of the best swimmers in the world, and some who are on their way to becoming the best. As the Olympic year is upon us and another cycle lies ahead, we’re looking forward to continuing to build our program with Josh taking a critical role in that process.”
Huger had helped Tennessee win 13 SEC and one national title, by sprinter Jordan Crooks, since his arrival ahead of the 2019-20 season. Crooks, representing the Cayman Islands, won a World Short-Course Championship in December. He was the SEC Swimmer of the Meet and co-winner of the SEC Commissioner’s Trophy as the second man to break 18 seconds in the 50 free.
Volunteers have won 39 SEC medals and 51 All-American nods in those seasons. Tennessee’s men’s and women’s teams finishing in the top eight at NCAAs in the same season (seventh and eighth, respectively) for the first time ever. The women’s team won a pair of SEC team crowns in 2020 and 2022, while the men were the 2022 SEC runner-up.
“I am extremely thankful for this incredible opportunity,” Huger said. “I feel extremely fortunate to be part of a staff that embraces collaboration, innovation and a genuine passion for the sport—and one that is dedicated to supporting our student-athletes both in and out of the pool. I want to extend my deepest appreciation to Matt Kredich for his unwavering support and belief in me, which truly has been instrumental in shaping my journey here at the University of Tennessee. Matt fosters an environment that cultivates growth, excellence and camaraderie that is unmatched in college athletics. It is truly a privilege to work with this entire staff and our exceptional group of student-athletes each day, and I cannot wait to see what’s to come. Here’s to a bright future ahead.”
Huger joins two other associated head coaches, Rich Murphy and Ashley Jahn, on Kredich’s staff.