IMG Academy's Class of 2026 Reinforces Power of Sports Education with College Sports Placement Rate 11x the National Average

Graduates land 34 commitments to Top 25 schools, 11 to Ivy League programs, and 5 to military academies, with a college sports placement rate topping 70%

BRADENTON, Fla., Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMG Academy, the world’s leading sports education brand, today released its 2025-26 college placement results, offering the latest proof point for an educational model built on the idea that academics, athletics, and life skills development are not separate pursuits, but one integrated path to preparing student-athletes for college and for life.

Of the 525 students across IMG Academy's boarding school (graduating student-athletes), postgraduate, and sport-only programs, 512 were placed into college to continue their academic pursuits with 366 – approximately 70% – of student-athletes continuing the athletic journeys. The class's broader recruiting reach was equally significant, receiving more than 1,100 total college acceptances across more than 800 colleges and universities.

Key placement highlights include:

• 70% of IMG Academy's graduating class will play their sport in college, compared to a national average of just 6% among the same sport and gender mix — making IMG Academy student-athletes roughly 11 times more likely to compete at the college level than their peers nationally.
• 34 commitments to Top 25 universities
• 11 commitments to Ivy League institutions
• 5 commitments to U.S. military academies
• 4 student-athletes signed directly to professional sports
  

IMG Academy’s commitment to female student-athlete development was especially evident across the Class of 2026. Its two newest programs delivered standout results: all four seniors in Softball's inaugural graduating class will continue playing in college, and 11 of 12 Girls Volleyball graduates (92%) will do the same. In total across all girls’ sports programs, 83% of graduating student-athletes will play in college.

Beginning this fall, IMG Academy will launch Boys Volleyball and Wrestling boarding school programs with a goal of creating more opportunities and pathways for student-athletes. IMG Academy will launch a swimming program and state-of-the art aquatic center in 2027.

IMG Academy's model is built on the belief that sport is a platform for life, helping student-athletes developing resilience, leadership, discipline and confidence in ways that extend far beyond competition. That intentional focus on the whole student-athlete, not just the athlete, is what the school points to as the differentiator behind this year's results.

“These outcomes are proof of what happens when you treat sport as critical education, not an extracurricular,” said Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer (Campus). “Our students aren't just training to compete, they're learning the life skills, discipline, and character that will define them long after their playing days end. That is what sets IMG Academy apart from any other boarding school in the world.”

About IMG Academy
IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing a holistic education model that empowers student-athletes to win their future, preparing them for college and for life. IMG Academy provides growth opportunities for all student-athletes through an innovative suite of on-campus and online experiences:

• Boarding school and camps, via a state-of-the-art campus in Bradenton, Fla.
• Online coaching via IMG Academy+, with a focus on personal development through the lens of sport and performance
• Online college recruiting, via NCSA and SportsRecruits, providing content, tools, coaching and access to a network of 40,000 college coaches
  

To learn more about IMG Academy and its on-campus and online experiences, visit www.imgacademy.com.

Media Contact:
Mike Lovecchio
SVP, Communications
941-577-2961
mike.lovecchio@imgacademy.com