The Kansas City Star is reporting that University of Missouri men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Greg Rhodenbaugh‘s paid administrative leave is connected to a Title IX investigation into alleged discrimination against female swimmers.
The school announced this week that Rhodenbaugh, head coach of the program for the past nine seasons, had been placed on paid administrative leave. The school wouldn’t give any further details, but said it was investigating “team management allegations.”
The Kansas City Star on Thursday reported that Missouri’s Title IX Office was investigating Rhodenbaugh after “multiple current or former members of the women’s swim team came forward with issues about Rhodenbaugh’s management of female athletes.” The Star says multiple sources corroborated the Title IX investigation, and quotes at least one former swimmer who ties the allegations to Rhodenbaugh’s handling of mental health issues.
“He didn’t tell me to take my meds or take care of myself,” the former team member says in the Star piece. “He just told me to pray, which was very awkward for me, especially since I’m not really a religious person.”
The Star also says another anonymous source confirmed that the handling of mental health issues were part of the investigation.
We’ve asked the university for further comment, but so far have only received the school’s official press release that says Rhodenbaugh is on paid administrative leave.
I went to college with Greg Rhodenbaugh and his wife Lisa while at SMU in Dallas, TX. My wife and I attended their wedding and were friends with their family when we were all living in Dallas. Greg built a wonderful reputation throughout his career and family life. He successfully raised eight children and have been a positive role model for many. His family, friends and associates all know this investigation will prove Greg innocent of these alleged allegations.
God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs. Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.
One must be careful not to impose his/her religious beliefs, statements, or actions to onto an individual or group, especially in a public university setting.
I’m a little confused about how this is a Title IX case. Does he give the men better advice for treat them differently in these cases? Is he qualified to give mental health advice or counseling? What were her expectations of him when she talked to him? I don’t know the facts of this situation so I’m not in a position to really comment on the validity of the swimmer’s complaint. I just have a bunch of questions like, what answer would have been not discriminatory toward her? Is there something that Coach Rhodenbaugh says or does for the people on the men’s team that might have a mental health issue? Perhaps he is a religious person and praying is… Read more »
Not clear, but whatever has been reported to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, Athletics, and President is deemed serious enough by the administration to warrant the coach’s temporary suspension, and an investigation into what is going on in the program that may have violated Title IX. Attempting to assemble what happened to bring it to this point does not help anyone, least of all coaching staff and swimmers–most of us would be wildly guessing, and unfair to the coach, his staff, and any swimmers past and present to guess. We’ll have to be patient. Both the coach and the swimmers have options available to them, and should avail themselves of those options, if and as needed. And, if any Tigers… Read more »
Not sure that, in the current environment, you can draw any sort of conclusions as to the merit of claims before any investigation – otherwise, “presumed guilty” becomes the standard.
Moral of the story:
1. No more face to face meetings with student-athletes
2. Record all conversations if a face to face must absolutely occur
3. Conduct all meetings via text message and email to provide for documentation
Might not be a bad idea for most coaches, but I think in Rhody’s case it would have hurt him more than it helped
4. If the athlete happens to be female, any dispute or tension between athlete and coach is a Title IX issue.
I think the names of former or current athletes who want to bring serious charges against a coach need to be public if they are legal adults. It’s not brave to ring the bell and then hide. He and his reputation and his family are enduring this public assault. Hiding behind anonymity is not brave. We are a former Missouri swimming family.
Victims are still viewed negatively? Is there nothing learned from USA gymnastics?
Yes . Judges be like ‘ oh , better give them some extra points. Then life goes on .
To compare this to USA gymnastics is ridiculous. This is not about sexual misconduct and to suggest that is a defamation of character. Please speak to what you know before you ruin someone’s reputation without knowing the facts!! Also as we are finding out there are misguided accusations in these cases, hence the investigation.
FERPA does protect student right to privacy…going to newspapers anonymously to spread your story was the basis for my post. Seems like the intent there was to do as much damage as possible knowing that the school’s FERPA must protect. The athlete would have had to contact the paper to continue to spread their story.
In a lot of ways one could compare this to a child’s teacher.
A parent goes to the teacher for advice on how to handle a behavior or a task and the teacher gives the parent her best answer but reminds the parent they are not a behavior specialist nor a counselor and provides the parent numbers to both. The parent returns… Read more »
The wife of the coach should also refrain from releasing names to other team members
I wonder how she even knows who is involved…
Especially since she could be wrong! I’m sure they don’t give out names of the accusers without permission
This sounds like the next step is that all athletes deserve to win. Participation trophies everywhere. That selfish Michael Phelps needs to share that top podium spot.
I don’t think the whole story ever will come out (or that it really needs to…) but the incident referred to in the article involved an athlete being advised not to take an antidepressant because it may impact her performance in the pool
Did he actually say to this student “don’t take your meds?” Because her posted statement does not come close to conveying this as the exchange between them.
She was encouraged to pray instead of taking her medications because the meds could effect performance
Is that substantiated? Or was that a vague impression that she took away from the exchange? Did he actually say to her “don’t take those medications?” Again, her quoted statement was “he didn’t tell me to take my meds….” which is an entirely different thing than instructing someone to specifically not take their meds.
What a tone deaf comment.
I’ve been involved with the program, both coaches and swimmers for years. Witnessed young men and women supported with integrity, honesty and in their best interests. Just look at the mountains of evidence verifying his sincere, caring demeanor–hundreds he has helped and supported at Mizzou alone. Aren’t any of us are capable of commenting in a way that could be misconstrued (find me a coach who has never been off the mark!)? The adminstration is doing what’s required when allegations are made. Sad for me to see how quickly people doubt the loyalty of hundreds he has positively influenced, eager to demonize a reputable public figure. Just stop. Allegations don’t equal guilt.
It only takes one discriminatory or inappropriate act