15-year head coach steps down to pursue new professional opportunity
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Toni M. and Richard L. Bergmark swimming and diving head coach Courtney Shealy Hart announced on Wednesday that she is resigning after 15 seasons at the helm of the Yellow Jackets to pursue a new professional opportunity outside of sports.
“The decision to step down after 15-plus years leading the Georgia Tech swimming and diving program is an incredibly difficult one,” Hart said. “I have been completely transparent with our team about the factors that led me to this decision, which first and foremost is my family, my greatest source of strength and support. Over the years, the demands of this role have grown, and I find myself needing more time to be present with them. As much as I love this program and each of our student-athletes, I must prioritize my family during this stage of my life. Additionally, I have experienced some health challenges that have made it increasingly difficult to meet the demands of this role. I have always prided myself on giving 100% to this team, but I now realize that I need to focus on my well-being to ensure that I can be there for my family and my future endeavors.
“Thank you to my team and coaches for their understanding and the incredible journey we’ve had together. I will always be rooting for them and look forward to seeing all of the amazing things they’ll do in the future.”
“On behalf of the entire Georgia Tech community, I extend our deepest thanks to Courtney for all that she has done for Tech swimming and diving and the Institute in her 15 years as head coach,” director of athletics J Batt said. “Her commitment to the student-athletes in her program not only produced top-25 teams, ACC champions and All-Americans, but also hundreds of Georgia Tech graduates that have gone on to achieve great things in and out of the pool. We are very grateful for her years of service to the Institute and wish her nothing but the very best as she pursues her new professional aspirations, prioritizes her well-being and gets to spend well-deserved time with her family.”
Hart was named Georgia Tech’s head coach in 2009-10 and steadily built a nationally competitive program, capped by the Yellow Jackets’ men finishing in the top 25 of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll six times in the last seven seasons (2017-18 through 2023-24, with its only finish outside of the top 25 coming during the Covid-shortened 2019-20 season, when Tech finished atop the “also receiving votes” category).
She coached a total of 71 NCAA Championship participants, 21 NCAA All-Americans, 12 ACC individual champions and 29 all-conference performers at Tech. Every women’s school record and all but one of the men’s school records have been set during Hart’s 15 seasons as head coach. She also coached 16 Olympians during her time on The Flats, including five that competed at the 2024 Paris Games, where Hart served as coach to Yellow Jacket Ariana Dirkzwager, who represented Laos in the 200 freestyle.
Additionally, Hart’s squads were annually included among the CSCAA’s Scholar All-America teams.
An Olympian herself, Hart won the gold medals in the 400 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia. That was just part of a decorated swimming career for Hart, who won five national titles, earned a school-record 26 All-America honors (plus two honorable mention recognitions) and was named the 2000 NCAA National Swimmer of the Year as a student-athlete at Georgia.
Prior to being named head coach at Georgia Tech, Hart spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Yellow Jackets (2007-09). She also served as an assistant coach for one season at North Florida (2006-07).
John Ames, who has served as Georgia Tech’s diving coach for 23 seasons, has been appointed as the Yellow Jackets’ interim head coach while a national search is conducted for Hart’s successor.
