Jon Duncan is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Southwestern University Pirates men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.
Since arriving at Southwestern, Duncan has emerged as one of the best coaches in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), accounting for half of SCAC Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year awards in the past decade. The Pirates’ coaching staff first won the award in 2013, then won three consecutive awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and another one in 2019 when the men’s team won the first conference championship in program history.
On the women’s side, Duncan has helped move the Pirates from a sixth-place conference finish in his first year to five consecutive third-place finishes from 2015-2019 and a women’s program-best second-place finish in 2020, 2021 and 2022. In 2018, Reghan Hartsell qualified for the NCAA Meet in the 100 & 200 breaststrokes, and in 2020, Jesse Stoval qualified for the NCAA Meet in the 50 and 100 freestyle, earning All-American honors. Under the direction of Duncan and James, Stovall earned All-American honors three times throughout her career. In 2022, Duncan and assistant coach Sarah James earned the first SCAC Women's Staff of the Year award in program history, qualifying five swimmers for the NCAA meet.
Before taking over at Southwestern, Duncan was the head men’s and women’s coach at Rhodes, where he guided Lynx swimmers to 70 school records. He also coached three individual conference championships and two NCAA qualifiers during his six seasons.
His teams excelled in the water and in the classroom, boasting one of the highest team GPAs at Rhodes.
Before Rhodes, Duncan was the Assistant Men’s and Women’s Swimming Coach at DePauw University for two years, assisting the men’s team to a 2005 SCAC Conference Championship with the women taking runners-up honors that same season.
Duncan is a 2002 graduate of Purdue University, where he was a four-time letter winner and competed in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 free. He earned an M.A. from Indiana State University in 2005 and is a member of the College Swim Coaches Association (CSCA).
Jon and his wife, Mindy, daughter, Eleanor, and son, Finley, reside in Georgetown.
THE DUNCAN FILE
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
High School: Ben Davis High School
Alma Mater: Purdue University ('02)/Indiana State University ('05)
Wife: Mindy
Children: Eleanor, Finley
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2011-present: Southwestern University Head Coach
2005-11: Rhodes College Head Coach
2003-05: DePauw University Assistant Swim Coach
2002-03: West Lafayette High School Assistant Coach
2002-03: Boilermaker Aquatics Interim Head Coach
Year Men's SCAC Finish Women's SCAC Finish Highlights
2011-12 6th 6th
2012-13 4th 4th SCAC Men's Staff of the Year
2013-14 2nd 4th Men earn program-best SCAC Finish
2014-15 2nd 3rd SCAC Men's Staff of the Year
2015-16 2nd 3rd SCAC Men's Staff of the Year
2016-17 2nd 3rd SCAC Men's Staff of the Year
2017-18 2nd 3rd
2018-19 1st 3rd SCAC Men's Championship Title; SCAC Men's Staff of the Year
2019-20 2nd 2nd Women's swimmer Jesse Stovall named CSCAA All-American
2020-21 2nd 2nd Jesse Stovall named SCAC Swimmer of the Year
2021-22 3rd 2nd SCAC Women's Staff of the Year, Jesses Stovall named SCAC Swimmer of the Year, Five NCAA Qualifiers, Stovall Awarded Dr. Carla Lowry Woman of the Year.
2022-23 3rd 3rd Sam Anderson earned Elite 19 Award.
