Marymount University
2807 North Glebe Rd. Arlington, Virginia, 2207
Programs at Marymount University
Competitive Team
Our competitive team swims year-round. A try-out is required before registering.
Our Stroke School is devoted to competitive stroke instruction with an emphasis on balance in the water through specialized drills. The program is for swimmer under 14 looking for a supplement for summer league.
Our Swim School has been serving the DC area for over 30 years. We have a wide variety of learn-to-swim classes for ages 3 - 8 years old at Marymount University.
Competitive Team
2026-27’ Season.
2026-27’ Season.
2026-27’ Season.
Coaching Staff
Chris Natoli - Head Coach (NCAP NoVA), Lead Gold 1 and Bronze 2 Coach
Coach Chris began coaching with NCAP in 2004 and brings more than 20 years of experience working with swimmers of all ages and levels. After 18 years at the NCAP Burke site, including 14 years primarily coaching the National and National Prep groups, Chris came to Marymount in 2021 as Site Head Coach and coach of the Gold 1 and Gold 2 groups. Since Fall 2022, he has served as the lead coach for Gold 1 while supporting the development of athletes and coaches across the site.
In addition to NCAP, Chris has extensive collegiate coaching experience, including 16 years as an Assistant Coach at George Mason University (2004–2020). He is currently the Head Coach at Marymount University, where he has led the Men’s team to four AEC Conference Championships and the Women’s team to two. In 2026, Chris was also selected to the NCSA staff for the team’s international competition in London, adding an international championship-level experience to his coaching background.
Chris lives in Arlington with his wife, Stacy, and their three children, Jackson (15), Finley (12), and Braden (9).
John Flanagan - Assistant Gold 1 Coach
Coach John has been coaching for more than 50 years at the USS Age Group, Senior, and Masters level. He began coaching in Potomac Valley in 1971 where he has coached Open Water swimmers, College Level swimmers, and Junior/Senior National swimmers. John previously coached the Gold group at Tysons for several decades before joining Coach Chris as the Gold 1 Assistant this past season.
Coach John has been named to several National and Junior National teams and was named the YMCA Coach of the Year in 1990 along with the Swim Swam Coach of the Year (Age Group) in 2013 and NCSA Coach of the Year in 2015. Coach John has been chosen for the Swimming World Championship staff (1986, 1994, 1998), USA Pac Pacific Games staff (1995), NCSA staff - Ireland (2010), NSCA staff - Japan (2012), World Youth staff (2013), and World University Games staff (2015). He has coached over 100 National, Jr. National, NCSA, and National YWCA first place finishes since 1983.
Dakota Mahaffey - Lead Silver 1 Coach and Gold 1/Bronze 1 Assistant
Dakota began swimming competitively at 7 years old and finished his career at Olympic Trials in 2021. Growing up in Green Cove Springs, Florida, he competed for the Bolles club team—an elite level training program and college prep school. A four-time State Champion and Scholastic All American, he achieved two relay titles with Caeleb Dressel. He attended the University of Florida and swam all four years in college, competing at 2 SEC Championships, as well as earning a third-place finish in the 200-medley relay.
Given the opportunity to continue with the University of Florida, Dakota stayed after graduation as a volunteer coach from 2020-2022. He was fortunate enough to help coach the men’s team to their 9th and 10th consecutive SEC Championship titles, as well as a 3rd place NCAA finish. Dakota feels blessed to work with Olympians such as: Kieran Smith, Bobby Finke, Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky.
At the same time as working with the collegiate and pro-athlete program at Florida, he coached with Gator Swim Club as a Senior level coach. Following his time in Gainesville, Dakota joined the Marlins of Raleigh as their Head Age Group coach from 2022-2023. Since then, he moved to Asheville, NC to be with family and has been working with Asheville Blues Swim Club.
Dakota is looking forward to joining NCAP NoVA and being closer to his family that lives in the DMV! He can’t wait to meet our Marymount athletes and get to work with the Silver 1 and Bronze 1 groups this Fall.
Evan Pak - Silver 1 Assistant Coach
Coach Evan is entering his third season coaching with NCAP.. He previously coached for Machine Aquatics at the University of Maryland site, served as Assistant Head Coach for the Strathmore Bel Pre Dolphins in the PMSL, and is now an Assistant Coach for the Overlee Flying Fish in the NVSL.
Evan is a rising senior for the Marymount swim team. As an athlete, he has garnered multiple first- and second-team Atlantic East All-Conference selections, Marymount team records, and has helped lead the Saints to three consecutive conference titles. Before Marymount, Evan swam for Machine Aquatics and was a pivotal scorer for his alma mater, Rockville High School, when they won the Maryland Class 3A-2A-1A State Championship in 2023. He is looking forward to another great season with the Silver 1 group!
Alex Pette - Silver 1 Assistant Coach (Tysons) and Bronze 2 Assistant Coach (Marymount)
Coach Alex is currently a senior at Marymount University and competes on the university’s collegiate swim team. She grew up swimming competitively with Long Island Aquatic Club and began working with NCAP as an instructor during her freshman year of college. Last season, Alex began assisting Coach Kelly Rose with our Tysons Silver 1 . She is looking forward to continuing progress with this group and also assisting Coach Chris with the Bronze 2 athletes!
Alex loves helping swimmers build confidence, improve their skills, and most importantly, have fun in the water! Her number one goal as a coach is to create a positive environment where swimmers can grow, enjoy the sport, and reach their goals.