Swim Coach Matt Hurst on Mercersburg’s Storied Legacy And Why He Chose the Prep Path Over Division I

Today on the GMM Podcast, we have Matt Hurst, head coach of Mercersburg Academy, one of the most storied high school programs in swimming. Mercersburg isn’t just another prep powerhouse. This Pennsylvania boarding school has produced 32 Olympians, who’ve earned 11 Olympic medals, including five golds, representing the United States and 12 other nations. Beyond the Games, Mercersburg swimmers have collected hundreds of High School All-American honors, captured nine National High School team titles, and won more than 20 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships. But this conversation isn’t just about the past. It’s about the choices coaches make, the culture they build, and how swimming itself is evolving. Before taking over at Mercersburg, Hurst was the Associate Head Coach at Penn State. With that type of position, you might assume Matt’s next step would be a Division I head coaching job. Instead, he took a sharp turn choosing Mercersburg, and choosing to build a legacy in prep swimming rather than chase the collegiate grind. We talk about that decision, what motivated it, and how Mercersburg’s unique campus environment shapes athletes differently. Hurst digs into the academic-athletic balance of a prep school model, where swimmers don’t just train to win races but to understand the “why” behind excellence.