Head coach Chad Cradock is no longer with the UMBC swimming & diving program, the team was informed today.
Cradock had led the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) swimming & diving programs for men and women since 2001. He was just the second head coach in program history, with his tenure spanning 19 seasons prior to the 2020-2021 season. The Division I program competes out of the America East Conference.
Sources told SwimSwam two weeks ago that Cradock was on a leave of absence. The school declined to comment at the time, saying that they do not comment on personnel matters – though they have publicly announced both retirements and resignations among athletic department personnel in the past.
SwimSwam filed a public records request two weeks ago for more information, but we have not yet received any information. SwimSwam has been unable to get in touch with Cradock himself.
However, sources say the swimming & diving team were told in a meeting today that Cradock is retiring and will no longer be heading the program. The school’s website no longer lists Cradock among the coaching staff. Nikola Trajkovic remains the “Director of Swimming and Diving Operations” and the team only lists three assistant coaches and a diving coach.
UMBC has won four of the past six America East women’s titles and the past four men’s titles.
Updated December 18 @ 8:25 Eastern
After original publishing of this article, UMBC posted a brief press release announcing the retirement of Cradock.
While that release offered no further details on the reason for the timing of Cradock’s departure, it adds that assistant coaches Birkir Mar Jonsson and Nikola Trajkovic will coach the teams during the interim period. The school says that it “will be launching a nationwide search for a new head coach.”
wpDiscuz
The school have a new Athletic Director as of January 2020, wonder if that have something to do with this?
Care to explain these issues?
I don’t think a random online article is the best place to have this discussion. Perhaps there is privacy for a reason and that should be respected
What does that mean? Toxic Team Dynamics? Performance? Hazing? Coaching?
Just a speculation, he had been there for a long time and then less then a year after a new AD comes in he is removed.
Another great asset to our sport (both college and club) and our region (MD) gone with little or no explanation. The lack of transparency in so many of these events is discouraging…it’s like some sort of Swim Secret Police spiriting away good people in the middle of the night with no explanation or justification – all in the name of “not commenting on personnel matters”.
What other assets are gone from our region? UMBC is known to hide allegations. Maryland Swimming is known to hide allegations for years. You want examples? Check the history of Stephens, Bowman, Cradock and as well as others who should be banned for life. It’s been a known fact of Cradock’s behavior of the men’s team. Mr Nice guy to your face and a monster in the locker room. Heck isn’t Maryland Swimming trying to hide allegations of an recent case of the officials chair stalking kids online and grooming? It is about time for these athletes to stand up and say no more of the sexual abuse they endure day in and day out by these coaches and officials… Read more »
A pot stirrer with no first hand knowledge.
Bravo.
You are not a pot stirrer when it actually happens to you and US Center of Safe Sport just gives the culprit probation. They don’t care about the victims! It’s all a cover up of protection to protect the abuser! Not the athletes!
Absolute truth. Because nothing happens people don’t report and the cycle continues. Safe Sport doesn’t protect the athletes at all.
I hope MDS notifies their entire LSC membership of any misconduct that violates Safe Sport and more, Title VII. Could be that more members have been victims of similar misconduct, regardless of age. Protecting athletes should be a priority, and MDS isn’t doing that if only directing probation for an official who sounds like he has a problem.
Hello, Current MD Swimmer, I’m a journalist and I noticed your comments regarding allegations concerning the Maryland Swimming Chair. I was wondering if you can get back with me as I’m hoping to learn more about this. This is completely anonymous, you can contact me at [email protected], Thank you
While everyone wants to know what happened, an employer opens themselves up to a lawsuit if they disclose the reason they terminated an employee. Also, I assume most employees who are let go would rather not have the reason released. Employers aren’t being opaque just to be sketchy. There’s a reason behind it.
A big loss for MD and UMBC Swimming. I’m lucky to have been able to swim with Chad for four years and consider him a friend for much longer. I’m slightly disappointed in SwimSwam for trying to spark drama and I’d encourage all to give Chad his privacy while he deals with important familial matters.
Methinks given your efforts to cover the story up you know that your last sentence is not true ;-).
This is what the media is supposed to do. If Chad or UMBC think it’s “familial matters” then they should just say so. But they haven’t. I think that tells us what we need to know.