Cal swimmers: University leaders failed to take action against Teri McKeever for decades
A letter signed by swimmers covering almost the entirety of McKeever's career at Cal says university leaders have not changed the "toxic culture" within the program.
Twenty-seven Cal swimmers and 21 parents of swimmers, in a letter to Berkeley chancellor Carol Christ Wednesday, said “widespread university leadership” since the 1990s “has failed to take action” on repeated and credible allegations that Golden Bears women’s team head coach Teri McKeever has bullied and abused athletes.
The letter, signed by Olympic medalists, NCAA champions and team captains, and obtained by the Southern California News Group, is in response to a university-commissioned investigation into McKeever, who has coached Cal to four NCAA team championships. It also follows multiple complaints by current and former Cal swimmers that investigators have not focused on allegations that current Cal athletic director Jim Knowlton, Jennifer Simon-O’Neill, the athletic department’s senior women’s administrator and longtime close friend of McKeever’s, and former AD Sandy Barbour repeatedly ignored, dismissed, discounted or failed to take effective action on credible allegations of McKeever’s bullying and even enabled the coach’s misconduct.
“As program alumnae, it is an understatement to say that we are very concerned that a toxic culture in the swimming program continues to reward coaches, protect predators, and safeguard those who use outdated and trauma-inducing tactics,” the swimmers said in the letter that was also sent to Michael V. Drake, president of the University of California system, Rich Leib, vice chair of the University of California board of regents, and other Cal and UC system administrators.
The swimmers who competed for Cal from 1993 to 2020 and the parents of swimmers who signed the letter wrote that the experience of current Cal swimmers is their “first and foremost” concern.
“Our current concern is the safety and well being of the current swimmers, making sure they can train and compete and have a normal student experience this year given that the team will be under public scrutiny and in the public eye,” said Katherine McAdoo, a former Cal swimmer who helped coordinate the letter.
The university commissioned investigation and Cal’s decision to place McKeever on paid administrative leave on May 25 was prompted by an SCNG report that the coach has routinely bullied athletes throughout her 29-year career at Berkeley.
Thirty-six current or former Cal swimmers and divers, 17 parents, a former member of the Golden Bears’ men’s swimming and diving squad, two former coaches, a former Cal administrator and two former Cal athletic department employees have told SCNG that McKeever, the only woman to serve as head coach of a U.S. Olympic swim team, routinely bullied swimmers, often in deeply personal terms, or used embarrassing or traumatic experiences from their past against them, used racial epithets, body-shamed and pressured athletes to compete or train while injured or dealing with chronic illnesses or eating disorders, even accusing some women of lying about their conditions despite being provided medical records by them.
Nine Cal women’s swimmers, six since 2018, have told SCNG they made plans to kill themselves or obsessed about suicide for weeks or months because of what they describe as McKeever’s bullying.
Swimmers and parents have also alleged that McKeever revealed medical information about athletes to other team members and coaches without their permission in violation of federal, state and university privacy laws and guidelines.
“As has been reported in multiple news articles, we witnessed or were victims of the longstanding pattern of verbal and emotional abuse perpetrated by McKeever and endorsed by Cal Athletics during our time as student-athletes,” the swimmers and parents wrote in the letter to Christ and others. “The articles accurately characterize our collective experience swimming under McKeever: bullying, verbal and emotional abuse, racial epithets, and coaching practices that encouraged us to betray our own bodies, mental health, and teammates.
“Many other stories have gone unshared,” the letter continued. “The consequences of McKeever’s coaching, culture of fear and intimidation on the team, and the athletic department’s disappointing failure to protect its athletes have unfortunately followed each of us into adulthood. Many of us only recently are recognizing the signs of trauma and stress that we continue to endure as a result of our experiences as Cal student-athletes.
“In the weeks since the news broke, many of us have found solidarity and comfort in reconnecting with former teammates, supporting one another, and rebuilding the bonds that were broken by our isolating and traumatizing experiences at Cal. We expect you now to not let history repeat itself and urgently call on you to stop the abuse that continues with each new class.”
The group in the letter outlined “five main concerns about the urgent need for a change in culture within Cal Swimming that transitions the program to one where student athletes are respected, safe, and can thrive:”
● “At the recent National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) conference, data was presented affirming that while a quarter of student athletes suffer from mental health issues, only 10% seek help. We would expect UC Berkeley to have resources readily available, especially in the heightened climate of attention around Cal Swimming this season. What is the university doing to ensure that student athletes know about mental health and medical resources and feel safe and supported accessing them?”
● “Our experience has shown that widespread university leadership has failed to take action on our concerns. Beyond the athletic department, which university departments are included in the investigation? Who is responsible for leading a university-wide shift in culture toward protecting student athletes?”
● “We understand that the ongoing investigation may cause fallout within the current team and create a hostile climate for some athletes. We would like to ensure that the current student-athletes feel safe. What is the university doing to support a positive and cohesive team culture in a high-stakes season that will play out in the public eye? What resources will be available to the coach to ensure their ability to support the team?”
● “The university has not yet made a decision on McKeever’s employment. When will a decision be made on McKeever’s status with the university?”
● “Our experiences and voices have been dismissed and ignored for the last twenty years. For the investigation to have legitimacy, it must be published in written form and available for former athletes and the public to read. Will there be a written report from the internal investigation, and if so, when can we expect it to be issued?”
In addition to the investigation being conducted by the law firm of Munger, Tolles and Olson, the university’s Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination is also investigating allegations that McKeever earlier this year used a racial epithet and profanities in disparaging rap music. The investigation into the incident initially focused on potential racial discrimination but has since been expanded to also consider possible discrimination based on sexual orientation and national origin, according to five swimmers, two parents and confidential university documents obtained by SCNG. McKeever is also being investigated by the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Current and former Cal swimmers, their parents, and a former university administrator have also questioned the independence of the investigation of McKeever, citing conflict of interest concerns about the firm, Munger, Tolles and Olson, hired by the university to conduct the probe.
Brad Brian, a former all-conference Cal baseball player, is chair of Munger, Tolles and Olson, the firm’s top position. Brian is one of the Cal athletic department’s leading fundraisers and recently led a campaign to build beach volleyball and softball facilities for the school, according to the university. He is one of only two recipients of the Robert Gordon & Ida Sproul award for the “most outstanding contribution to the university,” according to Cal and Brian’s Munger, Tolles and Olson bio.
Brian in a statement that he played no role in the firm being hired by Cal or in the ongoing investigation. A spokesman for Cal said the university has not attempted to “influence an investigation’s outcome.”
Cal has repeatedly declined to comment on the specifics of the McKeever case citing “the laws and policies that govern how we operate.” Drake has declined requests for comment as well.
The university has also declined multiple requests to make Knowlton or Simon-O’Neill available for comment.
McKeever has declined multiple requests for comment. Thomas Newkirk, McKeever’s attorney, has said she is the victim of both a double standard in how female and male coaches are viewed and judged, and how female athletes are socialized from a young age to report stress, injuries and frustration differently than male athletes.
As SCNG and the Bay Area News Group reported August 19, Dave Durden, Cal’s men’s head coach, has also taken over coaching the women’s team and the two squads have been merged as one program.
If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Reach the lifeline at 988 or 800-273-8255, or see the 988lifeline.org website.
Additional coverage of Cal Swimming and Teri McKeever’s suspension.