Cal fires longtime swim coach Teri McKeever after series of bullying and abuse allegations

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Teri McKeever was fired from her position as women’s swimming coach at the University of California on Tuesday after 29 years at the helm. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

The University of California has fired longtime women’s swimming and diving coach Teri McKeever following an eight-month investigation into widespread allegations of bullying and abuse.

Cal’s athletic director, athletic director Jim Knowlton, announced the decision Tuesday in a letter to student-athletes. The decision came after an extensive investigation that involved interviews with 147 people and reviews of 1,700 documents conducted by academic attorneys, reports the San Jose Mercury News.

“I am writing to inform you that today we parted ways with longtime women’s swimming coach, Teri McKeever,” read Knowlton’s letter. After carefully reviewing an in-depth investigative report that was recently completed by an independent law firm, I firmly believe it is in the best interest of our student-athletes, our swimming program and Cal Athletics in his outfit.

The report details numerous violations of university policies that prohibit discrimination based on race, national origin and disability. The report also details verbally abusive behaviors that are contrary to our most important values. I was disturbed by what I learned while reading the 482 pages of reports that substantiated far too many allegations of unacceptable behavior. I want to apologize, on behalf of Cal Athletics, to all of the student-athletes who have experienced this behavior in the past, and I want to thank everyone who has had the courage to come forward and share their story with the investigators.”

According to the Mercury News, 44 current or former Cal swimmers and 23 parents are part of a group that also includes former coaches and administrators who accused McKeever of routine bullying that included body shaming, personal insults, racial epithets and pressures to compete while ill or injured.

The complaints date back to January 2010 when former Cal swimmer Jenna Rais wrote to then-Chancellor Robert Joseph Birgeneau alleging she had been abused by McKeever. Since then, McKeever has been cleared to coach at Cal for 11 more years amid an influx of allegations.

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She was placed on administrative leave last May when the allegations came to light via an investigation by the Southern California News Group. The Mercury News reports that she earned more than $3 million during those years while receiving eight pay raises. Cal won national championships in 2011, 2015 and 2019 during that span.

Former Cal swimmer Danielle Carter told the Orange County Register last May that McKeever’s alleged abuse prompted her to consider suicide in 2019.

It got to the point where I literally couldn’t go after Teri anymore, Carter said. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to be alive anymore. That night, I literally didn’t want to be alive. It was like, OK, I’m ready to die. I want to kill myself. I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to be alive.

Carter said she instead texted her teammates that night for help. She told the Register that McKeever made fun of her the next day when she informed her trainer that she had considered taking her own life. According to the SCNG investigation, Carter was one of at least six Cal swimmers since 2018 who contemplated suicide because of McKeever’s alleged bullying.

According to the SCNG investigation which included interviews with 19 current or former Cal swimmers, McKeever has targeted up to three swimmers each year for almost daily bullying and mental abuse. LGBTQ swimmers were often the subjects of his bullying, according to the report.

California ex-swimmer Leann Toomey says McKeever’s alleged abuse prompted her to attempt suicide in 2018. She told the Register on Tuesday that McKeever “got what she deserved” with her dismissal.

“I’m glad she got fired because that’s what she deserved,” Toomey said. “It’s not just a pat on the hand or oh, we were so sorry, we were going to talk to him and make sure it didn’t happen again.”

For years I had to suffer alone and think maybe there was something wrong with me, maybe Teri was right, I just wasn’t tough enough. But now I know the abuse was real.

McKeever released a statement Tuesday through her attorney, Thomas Newkirk, acknowledging her dismissal and denying the allegations against her. She plans to take legal action against the university, according to Newkirk, who claims the investigation was the product of gender bias.

I unequivocally deny and rebut all findings that I have abused or bullied any athlete and deny any suggestion that I have discriminated against any athlete on the basis of race, disability or sexual orientation,” the statement read. of McKeever.” There were and should be consequences for breaking team rules, not showing up for scheduled appointments, misusing resources, not making an honest effort, and engaging in behavior that does not was inconsistent with their individual goals or those of our team.

“But those consequences weren’t enforced because of who someone was, only for what they did or didn’t do that hurt the team and the culture that we were working hard to maintain. I am terribly disappointed and saddened by the way the survey process has been I have been an open book in my coaching methods and the administration knows and fully endorses the way I coach.

McKeever is a sports legend, having coached Cal to four NCAA titles in 29 seasons as a coach. She also coached the American women at the 2012 London Olympics, where six current, future or former Cal swimmers won 13 medals. Six National Swimmers of the Year competed for McKeever at Cal, including Natalie Coughlin and Missy Franklin. A total of 26 swimmers trained by McKeever have won a total of 36 Olympic medals. She was Pac-12 Coach of the Year nine times.

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