Teri McKeever is considered by many to be the most successful women’s swimming coach in American history. Along with guiding the Cal Bears to four NCAA and five Pac-12 team championships, she has also coached 26 Olympians who have won 36 medals.
However, according to a damning report Tuesday by the Southern California News Group, McKeever is alleged to be a bully who verbally and emotionally abuses the athletes under her watch, allegedly driving six women to contemplate suicide.
The allegations were culled from interviews that Olympics writer Scott Reid did with 19 current and former Cal swimmers and six parents, amongst others.
“The interviews, as well as emails, letters, university documents, recordings of conversations between McKeever and swimmers, and journal entries, reveal an environment where swimmers from Olympians, World Championships participants, and All-Americans to non-scholarship athletes are consumed with avoiding McKeever’s alleged wrath,” wrote Reid. “This preoccupation has led to panic attacks, anxiety, sleepless nights, depression, self-doubt, suicidal thoughts and planning, and in some cases self-harm.”
The picture created by these interviews portrays “McKeever as a bully who for decades has allegedly verbally and emotionally abused, swore at and threatened swimmers on an almost daily basis, 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.”
McKeever did not comment on the article and the school issued a statement that explained why they are unable to comment publicly, due to “personnel issues and/or privacy rights.”
The disturbing article certainly garnered a strong reaction from the sports world on Tuesday as it spread.
Didn’t go to Cal but affiliation goes back to the late ‘80s, when I covered the FB team. Old Blues are friends. This is shameful. The enabling. The coverup. Scars the entire Cal community.https://t.co/1r1erTkCPH
— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) May 24, 2022
The contents of this article might be difficult to read for some. There’s no place for this in our sport.
“Fourteen women said they were targeted by McKeever for regular bullying”https://t.co/kvlwmj4MtE
— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) May 24, 2022
Terrific reporting. Heartbreaking read.
It’s awful to see so many of these stories come out, whether in NWSL or college basketball, Olympic gymnastics or swimming, but it’s so important that people now feel empowered to speak out. https://t.co/weEebldxWp
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) May 24, 2022
A quote from Teri McKeever that seems pertinent: "I think one of my life lessons is that…realizing now that asking for help is a sign of strength not a sign of weakness."
In stark contrast to what her athletes claimed they told her when they asked for help.
— Braden Keith (@Braden_Keith) May 24, 2022
https://t.co/OquztSwqV1
Teri is one of the most sucessfull swimming coaches. And by sucessfull I mean SOLELY through a medal account perspective.
And the question remains: is it worthy?— Joanna Maranhão (@Jujuca1987) May 24, 2022
No word yet on the fallout of the article and investigation and whether or not it will impact McKeever’s employment with the school.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.