Former University of Kentucky swim coach banned from teaching for misconduct

• Former University of Kentucky swimming coach Lars Jorgensen has been made completely ineligible to educate by the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
• Jorgensen is accused of a number of types of misconduct, together with sexual assault, rape, and harassment of athletes.
• A lawsuit filed in April 2024 alleges the college allowed a “toxic, sexually hostile environment” beneath his management.
• Jorgensen resigned in 2023 amid an NCAA compliance investigation after a 10-season tenure with this system.

Former University of Kentucky swimming coach Lars Jorgensen is completely ineligible to educate after a latest choice from the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

Jorgensen, who resigned in 2023 amid an NCAA compliance investigation and has since been replaced by Bret Lundgaard, is accused of a number of types of misconduct, together with sexually assaulting athletes throughout his 10-season tenure with the swimming and diving program.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport mentioned he engaged in intimate relationships “involving a power imbalance,” bodily and sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and retaliation. The everlasting ineligibility from teaching is topic to enchantment.

A lawsuit filed towards Jorgensen, former coach Gary Conelly, athletics director Mitch Barnhart and UK in April 2024 alleges a “toxic, sexually hostile environment” throughout the swim program beneath Jorgensen’s management. It additional claims the college allowed him “to prey on, sexually harass and commit horrific sexual assaults and violent rapes against young female coaches and collegiate athletes who were reliant on him.”

What have been allegations towards former UK swim coach Lars Jorgensen?

The Athletic, who first reported the allegations, mentioned Jorgensen had been reported for attainable misconduct a minimum of 3 times between 2012 and 2019.

The declare contains emails from former Toledo swimming assistant coach Mark Howard to Conelly and Barnhart in 2012 a couple of former feminine swimmer who was in a sexual relationship with Jorgensen when he was head coach from 2004 to 2010; point out of the Toledo allegations in a 2014 wrongful termination lawsuit filed by the varsity’s softball coach; and a 2019 report from two coaches at San Jose State of potential misconduct which was deemed “not urgent” by the UK workplace that manages Title IX complaints.

Other allegations embody two former swimmers accusing Jorgensen of rape following crew Christmas events at his house; allegations that he raped one of many aforementioned swimmers in resorts throughout crew journeys; inappropriate movies and images being despatched to crew members; and posting suggestive messages on social media. He can also be accused of punishing athletes with degrading feedback and body-shaming and withholding meals from swimmers after poor performances or assigning additional exercises to these with particular physique fats percentages.

Jorgensen beforehand led the boys’s and girls’s swim and dive packages at Kentucky for a decade earlier than his resignation. In 2021, the women’s team won its first SEC title and in February 2023, Levi Sandidge earned gold within the 1,650-yard freestyle on the convention championships, becoming the first Wildcat to win the event at the league meet.

Before teaching in Lexington, Jorgensen acted as an assistant coach (2010-11) and interim head coach (2011-12) at his alma mater, Tennessee. While head coach at Toledo from 2004-10, Jorgensen gained the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year award twice and a MAC championship.

University of Kentucky: Ex-Kentucky swim coach Lars Jorgensen accused of rape, sexual assault in lawsuit

Courier Journal reporter Ryan Black contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.