North Florida Tabs Justin Davis as Assistant Coach

JACKSONVILLE, Florida, May 18. UNIVERSITY of North Florida Head Swimming Coach Beth Harrell has announced the hiring of Justin Davis as the team's new assistant coach.

Davis will begin his duties with the team – which will launch its 2007-08 season in the fall – immediately. Davis will be responsible for assisting in all aspects of the program, including coaching duties, recruiting, scheduling and administrative duties.
"We are excited to add Justin to our staff," Harrell said. "His enthusiasm and energy will have a positive impact on our program."

Davis is no stranger to the UNF swimming program, spending the last two years as a volunteer assistant with the Lady Ospreys. Davis has also served as head coach of local club teams such as the Makos Swim Team, JCA Masters Swim Team, and has worked as an assistant coach with North Florida Swimming and the Julington Creek Porpoises along with running swimming clinics since moving to Jacksonville in 2006.

"I'm proud to be here and working with someone who I would consider one of the top women's swimming coaches in the country," Davis said. "Throughout the last two years I have had the privilege of working with some outstanding student-athletes and look forward to continuing the fine traditions already established at UNF."

Davis' journey throughout the sport of swimming has taken him from one end of the country and back again. Davis started his collegiate swimming career at Florida State before transferring to Cal State- Northridge after his freshman season. While at Northridge he was the swimming team's representative to the athletic department's athletes' council from 1995-97 and president of the council from 1996-97.

Davis began his coaching career after graduating from Northridge in 1997. Since then he has had stints as a head coach in California, Texas and New York, working with swimmers of all age groups.

His lone year of collegiate experience before UNF came at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., where he was an assistant coach during the 2004-05 season. During his time at Colgate the program was ranked as the top academic program in the nation by the College Swim Coaches of America and the team further backed up that ranking with a 100 percent Academic Progress Rate. In the pool the women finished second at the Patriot League Championship, placing five members on the all-conference team. The men's team finished with its best record in school history that season and the two teams combined for 180 lifetime best performances over the course of the season, which included 85 percent of the team members recording at least one lifetime best.

Currently working toward his a masters degree in business, Davis was married to his wife – Francesca Cimino – in January of 2007.

Special thanks to North Florida for contributing this report.

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