A pair of former college swim coaches have been added to the U.S. Center for SafeSport and USA Swimming public databases.
Former University of Pacific graduate assistant Bobby Yribarren was banned on May 4, 2026, though that is subject to appeal and not yet final.
Yribarren was previously listed as suspended for “intimate relationship – involving a member” by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. At the time, he was suspended for three years from May 2021 until May 18, 2024.
He is no longer listed in the USCFSS database, but is listed in USA Swimming’s database as a banned individual as of last week for “sexual misconduct” and “other misconduct” including a criminal disposition. The ban cites several sections of the USA Swimming Code of Conduct including those related to sexual misconduct, those related to providing alcohol to a minor athlete, and the sale or distribution of illegal drugs or drugs on the AQUA banned list.
Yribarren spent three years as a graduate assistant at the University of the Pacific. He is currently listed as the “Kitchenmaster” at the Cambridge Zen Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was previously the “Housemaster” and “Workmaster” there.
In April, Mike Richmond, the former head coach of the varsity swim team at the University of Nevada, was added to the U.S. Center for SafeSport database with a temporary suspension for Allegations of Misconduct. The nature of those allegations were not listed, and he was also give a no contact directive.
Richmond spent five seasons as the head coach at Nevada from 2007 through 2012. He was named the 2008 WAC Coach of the Year. Prior to being elevated to interim, and then full-time, head coach, he was an assistant with the program for eight seasons.
After leaving Nevada, he moved into a full-time role as the head coach of the Sparks Piranhas, a USA Swimming team in Sparks, Nevada, where he is still listed as President, CEO, and Head Coach.
Before his time at Nevada, he spent 11 years as the head coach of the Lubbock Swim Club in Lubbock, Texas.
SwimSwam was unable to locate any criminal records for Richmond, but has reached out to him for comment.
There have been concerns surrounding Mike Richmond for a long time and many people in the community have been aware of issues for years. Multiple reports have been submitted to the US Center for SafeSport, and it’s encouraging to finally see the organization taking action and looking into the situation seriously.
Police reviewed information at one point, but several athletes were reportedly too afraid to speak openly because they worried their college scholarships could be affected. That alone says a lot about the power dynamics involved and why these systems of accountability matter.
Glad to see the US Center for SafeSport stepping in so that athletes feel protected and supported moving forward.
This.. all of this.
How can anyone down vote this??? Unless they’re on the Piranhas. Or covering for him…
SwimSwam should do more digging on Mike Richmond. There are complaints to USA Swimming Safe Sport back to at least 2015. They ramped up again 2021-2022. He was removed as the head coach from UNR about 2012 and there was a lawsuit that was reported on by the Reno Gazette Journal. Whether he chose to quit or was fired has never been clear and the University refused to comment on it.
He “resigned”. you can fill in the blanks.
Please share the archival link NV Swimming that you are referencing so we can all take a look. I can’t seem to find any lawsuit information.
The RGJ doesn’t seem to have a very good archival section. All the person could find me is the May 2011 article about the alleged NCAA violations that led up to his separation from UNR. No link provided just text of the article:
“‘Some of the swimmers had concerns about the program,’ Lundin said Thursday. ‘I met with them, like we would with any program if they wanted to talk with the administration. Part of the issue was the dismissal of Carly Colin. During the meeting, one of the swimmers brought forth a possible NCAA violation. I turned it over to compliance, and they are looking into it”… The letter alleged that Richmond has been ‘verbally and emotionally abusive’ to… Read more »
Temporary suspension is not enough. Hopefully, more is actually done.
Still on their website.
https://www.sparkspiranhasaquatics.com/coaches
First guy looks like he is part of a cult too.
Deserved