Jamie Graves was selected as the head coach of the Milligan swimming programs in February of 2026.
Graves comes to Milligan with a rich background in swimming, coaching and ministry. As head swimming Coach at King University, he led both the men's and women's teams to program-best performances at the Conference Championships, including multiple top-three finishes and numerous individual honors. Under his leadership, King swimmers earned conference titles, All-Conference selections, and multiple CSCAA Scholar All-America academic recognitions, while both squads were honored with sportsmanship awards.
Previous to King, Graves served as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman University for three years, helping to establish a top 10 nationally recognized program. As a swimmer at the University of Tennessee, Graves garnered honors as an SEC finalist, NCAA honorary All-American, and served as co-captain his senior year.
James is currently the assistant worship leader at Celebration Church Tri-cities where he has also served as a high school youth leader. He is married to his wonderful wife Chesley, and has three children; Adira (4), Johannah (3), and Jonathan (2). Graves holds a MA degree from Carson-Newman, and a BA degree from both Northern Illinois University and the University of Tennessee.
