Details on the hazing allegations that resulted in the indefinite suspension of Boston College’s swim and dive program on Wednesday came to light on Thursday afternoon.
According to a letter from an administrator in the Office of the Dean of Students obtained by The Heights, Boston College’s independent student newspaper, among the accusations are that freshmen swimmers were pressured to binge drink and consume their own vomit during a series of team parties at the beginning of September. The letter matches reports that individuals close to the team have shared with SwimSwam.
The letter outlines five Student Code of Conduct violations that may have occurred, including hazing, alcohol policy, disorderly conduct, community disturbance, and complicity.
“The adjudication process will include an investigation of the reports, followed by a hearing, after which a determination of responsibility will be issued,” the letter said.
BC initially said the men’s and women’s swimming and diving program had been indefinitely suspended after administrators determined that hazing had occurred. But a letter from the Office of the Dean of Students later Wednesday said that in no way had any determination been made yet regarding violations of university policy. On Thursday, BC released a revised statement referring to the hazing as “credible reports.”
“Based on the information known at this time, Athletics has determined a program suspension is warranted, pending a full investigation by the University,” BC’s revised statement said. “Consistent with University policy, the matter will be investigated by the Office of the Dean of Students and adjudicated fairly and impartially through the student conduct process. Once the investigation and adjudication process is complete, Athletics will reassess the status of the teams.”
Sources told SwimSwam earlier on Thursday that team members were forced to drink until they vomited, and then wear that vomit tied in a bag around their necks. Those same sources added that not all members of the team participated in the activities.
Hazing is a crime in Massachusetts punishable by a fine of $3,000 and up to a year in jail.
Both the BC men and women’s teams placed 12th out of 12 teams at the 2023 ACC Championships in their first season under former Notre Dame assistant Joe Brinkman. Still, it was a relatively successful season for the Eagles considering they don’t offer swimming scholarships as they broke three school and 15 pool records at their rivalry meet against Boston University in January.
It’s rare for colleges to self-suspend entire programs for hazing, but it has happened before. In 2015, Western Kentucky suspended its men’s and women’s swimming and diving program for five years in the wake of a hazing scandal that resulted in the termination of the coaching staff. Ultimately, the school cut the program.
Brinkman leads a BC coaching staff that includes assistant coach Brian Keane, assistant coach Alexander Santana, and diving coach Jack Lewis. The Eagles were slated to start their season Saturday with a Maroon vs. Gold intrasquad meet before officially beginning the regular ant George Washington on Oct. 7.
Thank God my kid dodged two bullets: UK and BC!
Yall are soft. Definitley did not get a bid.
This could work if guys on their team got bids
Please be more sensitive to the situation. This is extremely disrespectful and hurtful to all involved. How would you feel if I made you throw up in a bag, shower in it and then eat it. Not very good I think.
Please show some common decency. This is extremely disrespectful and hurtful to all involved. How would you feel if I made you drink white claws until you threw up, put the throw up in a bag and threw it at you like a water balloon and then made you eat it? Not very good I think.
As a fellow alum of an unrelated university and swim team, I am disgusted but what his happening in the world of athletics.
Swimming is supposed to be a sport of zero fun, no parties, and most of all, absolutely no drinking. Athletes are supposed to walk-on, compete collegiately, excel academically, and thrive socially. All of this is possible WITHOUT drinking alcohol. I’m a super cool adult who DEFINITELY DIDN’T DRINK IN COLLEGE. Why do men want to haze each other? In fact why do fraternities exist? It’s not like the modern world around them is suppressing what it means to be masculine. It’s totally cool to be a man-woman. It’s not like clan culture is a strong indicator of… Read more »
Cue the announcement that Texas A&M has been shut down too
Summing up the comments, we have one commenter saying the events didn’t happen, and another replying saying maybe they did…over and over and over.
Yep, this is SwimSwam, all right!
When the dust settles, I believe that it will be made clear that these events happened… or that perhaps they didn’t.
All these comments about this being unacceptable behavior are right on the spot. I am also quite concerned about the physical health of those who had to go through this. Alcoholic poisoning can be fatal and is often the number 1 contributor of death among college students.
I said it once and I’ll say it again… American colleges are shit shows when it comes to hazing drinking hooking up and all that low life behaviour. I thought people were oblivious to this but they just turn the other cheek. I almost got into altercations when I went to school in the USA because I wouldn’t drink or smoke weed everytime we had a swim party, and even the coach, told me to go out with my team from time to time… things have to evolve colleges are ruining the health of students by allowing this stuff to go on…
Description of these events reveal some of the team culture, which might explain both teams finishing 12th out of 12 at conference.
Perhaps, but being the only Power Five swimming program without scholarships can’t help either
Do the Duke Men have scholarships now?
Two that they split into partial rides