Southern Illinois University has cleared head swim & dive coach Geoff Hanson of any wrongdoing following an investigation regarding allegations of abuse, according to a statement made by the school on Wednesday.
“Saluki Athletics announced on Wednesday the outcome of an investigation into allegations about the conduct of swimming & diving head coach Geoff Hanson, clearing him of any wrongdoing,” the statement says.
Interim director of athletics Matt Kupec added: “The University’s Title IX office completed a thorough investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior by Coach Hanson and determined them to be unsubstantiated.”
Official statement from Saluki Athletics. pic.twitter.com/GDdWhTzDWf
— Saluki Athletics (@SIUSalukis) November 17, 2021
SIU opened the investigation into Hanson in September after two former members of the SIU women’s swim & dive team accused him of abuse.
You can read more details regarding the allegations in the original report from The Daily Egyptian (DE), SIU’s student newspaper, here.
The beginning of the investigation came around the same time that the school’s former athletic director, Liz Jarnigan, was fired.
The report from DE said that Jarnigan was in attendance when the two swimmers made the initial complaint to SIU’s Equity and Compliance Office in October 2020, but no corrective measures were made at the time.
Parents of the two former team members then notified SIU Chancellor Austin Lane of the allegations in early September, and Jarnigan was fired two days later. The school did not confirm whether the allegations were the reasons behind her firing.
Hanson has been the SIU head swimming & diving coach since May of 2019, and has also spent time coaching Division II Colorado Mesa and Western State Colorado.
The Salukis most recently competed at home Nov. 11-13, hosting the A3 Performance Invitational, where both the men’s and women’s teams finished in first place. SIU won’t be back in action until the new year, set to take on UIC January 14.
Athletes who bring false allegations should be held accountable. If this does not happen, future allegations of factual violations will be hindered.
I appreciate the sentiment of accountability and agree in some form. I actually think greater education needs to be done with athletes around accountability and responsibility, and the boundaries that exist between coaches (at all levels) and their athletes. Too often coaches prioritize wanting to be liked, because of their own needs and fears of being seen as “the bad guy” by being appropriately critical (of technique, of training, of culture, of athlete’s decisions, etc.) Its even more complicated when you have parents objecting first at the club level and then at the college level to their child being critiqued and held accountable. As a result, these child/young adults don’t actually understand what good and healthy coaching looks like, and… Read more »
We don’t get details even after the investigation is over?
The link to the allegations is in the article.
I know what the allegations are. I guess we are to assume the kids were lying?
Did Geoff formerly coach at University of Arizona?
I think he followed Eric Hansen there when he went from Wisconsin to Arizona. I remember that he was at Wisconsin when I did a couple of years of swim camps there as a kid.
He did, among other places.
Those who have swam under or coached alongside Geoff Hanson know that this outcome is the right one. I’ve never met someone who cares more for an athlete’s well-being. Allegations with no merit have no place in this world. Such a shame that he had to be put through this situation at all. I hope all who come across this article read it in a positive light.
Geoff and the entire coaching staff treated myself and their athletes with nothing but the upmost respect. I’m happy to see the right outcome from this and to see the future of SIU swim & dive
Those who have swam under or coached alongside Geoff Hanson know that this outcome is the right one. I’ve never met someone who cares more for an athlete’s well-being. Allegations with no merit have no place in this world. Such a shame that he had to be put through this situation at all, the least you could do is leave the link to the false reports out of this article and shed this news in a positive light.