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Sarah Lawrence College Athletics

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John King

John King was named Sarah Lawrence College head men's and women's swimming coach in June of 2018. King joins the Gryphons following a four-year stint at Arcadia University.

King made an immediate impact on the program in his first season, being voted 2018-19 Skyline Men's and Women's Swimming Coach of the Year. Under the tutelage of King, three Gryphons earned Skyline All-Conference honors in individual events, highlighted by Drew Lei-Alerta, who was voted Skyline Rookie of the Year in addition to being a four-time Skyline Rookie of the Week honoree.

Arcadia steadily improved each year with the help of King. In his four years as an assistant coach, the men’s side posted a 29-12 mark in dual meets, including a program-record 10 victories this season. On the women’s side, the Knights complied a 32-9 mark, including a team-record 11 dual meet wins this year.

The Arcadia men’s and women’s swimming programs have turned in 129 MAC Freedom All-Conference performances, 16 individual conference championship efforts, and the program’s first two relay titles during his tenure.

Among his myriad of duties, King served as the primary coach for the distance group. The group excelled under his guidance, as the squad captured eight conference championships. King’s impact can be seen most readily by the success of Grant Fisher, a three-time MAC Freedom champion in the 500 freestyle, who posted a NCAA “B” Cut time in the 1,650 freestyle, becoming just the second swimmer in program history to notch a NCAA-qualifying mark.

In addition, King assisted in national recruiting efforts and was responsible for the team’s dryland workouts, while participating in day-to-day duties as Assistant Aquatics Director.

Both the men’s and women’s team has also been successful in the classroom, posting the required 3.0 semester grade-point average for CSCAA Scholar All-America Team honors 11 times.

King began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Miami during the 2011-12 campaign, where he worked with the ACC Champion in the women’s 100 breastroke and ACC silver medalist in the women’s 100 butterfly, both of whom qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships.

In addition, King has served as the head swimming coach at the Ridley Park Swim Club, master’s coach of the Hurricane Aquatics Masters Team, and assistant coach at Strath Haven High School.

King was a member of the men’s swimming team while attending NCAA Division II Bloomsburg University, where he competed in distance events. He was a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships qualifier in each of his four seasons, winning a bronze medal in the 1,000 freestyle as a junior. King finished his collegiate career as the Huskies’ record-holder in the 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle events.

A native of Folsom, Pennsylvania, King earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with concentrations in coaching and strength and conditioning from Bloomsburg in 2011.

Men
Year Overall Conference Postseason
2018-19 * 5-3 2-3 3rd of 6 (Skyline Championships)
11th of 14 (Metropolitan Championships)
Career 5-3 (.625) 2-3 (.666)

* Skyline Coach of the Year 

Women
Year Overall Conference Postseason
2018-19 * 8-4 4-4 3rd of 7 (Skyline Championships)
11th of 17 (Metropolitan Championships)
Career 8-4 (.666) 4-4 (.500)

* Skyline Coach of the Year