Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle has been officially suspended indefinitely by the University after a joint investigation with UGA and the NCAA wrapped up, accusing Bauerle of “severe breach of contract.”
The four-month-long investigation delved into Bauerle’s involvement in a male swimmer’s academic eligibility. The swimmer’s name has been redacted from the allegation letter released by the University, but ESPN has reported that it is star IMer Chase Kalisz, who was suspended alongside Bauerle in January. Kalisz was eventually released of his suspension, while Bauerle remained suspended through the rest of the season.
The NCAA alleges that Bauerle contacted a Georgia professor during the school’s finals period to secure a passing grade for the unnamed athlete, despite that athlete “not completing any work for the class,” according to the letter. The arrangement would have had the athlete receive an “incomplete” grade, then make up the coursework in late December and early January to receive a passing grade. Through a clerical error, though, the professor gave the student-athlete a passing grade.
The NCAA alleges that Bauerle making a special arrangement was providing an extra benefit to a student-athlete, which is a violation of NCAA rules. The NCAA’s letter also accuses Bauerle of breaking University of Georgia policies about communications between coaches and professors, and claims Bauerle went through with a plan to have an extra course added to the swimmer’s fall schedule even though the athletic department repeatedly told him not to.
The Georgia press release responded to the allegations with these comments:
“While I am disappointed about the Notice of Allegations, I am proud of the Athletic Department’s response to this matter,” UGA President Jere W. Morehead said. “The University of Georgia takes its compliance obligations seriously. We have cooperated fully with the NCAA throughout the investigation, and we will continue to do so in order to bring the matter to an appropriate conclusion.”
“Allegations of this nature are extremely disappointing and we will continue to fully cooperate with the NCAA staff on this matter,” J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Greg McGarity said. “Until this matter has concluded, head swimming and diving coach Jack Bauerle will be suspended from all job-related responsibilities effective immediately.”
Bauerle released a statement of his own, apologizing for making a mistake and attempting to clear the student-athlete of any blame in the situation.
“I regret that I have placed the University of Georgia, an institution I dearly love and have given my heart and soul to for 44 years, in this situation,” Bauerle said. “While I do not agree with the charges in the way the NCAA has framed them, I made a mistake.”
“I want to emphasize unequivocally that the student-athlete involved in this matter did nothing wrong. Not one thing. I take full responsibility for my actions.”
The University now has 90 days to respond to the accusations. The NCAA will review the school’s response before making a final report. From there, the school will have to appear before the Committee on Infractions.
Georgia has announced that Senior Associate Head Coach Harvey Humphries will take over Acting Head Coach duties until the situation is settled. Humphries has already been fulfilling some of that role as Bauerle continued to serve his original suspension that limited his on-deck presence at meets. Humphries notably oversaw the women’s NCAA title just a few weeks ago.
Here is Bauerle’s full statement:
I regret that I have placed the University of Georgia, an institution I dearly love and have given my heart and soul to for 44 years, in this situation. While I do not agree with the charges in the way the NCAA has framed them, I made a mistake.
I want to emphasize unequivocally that the student-athlete involved in this matter did nothing wrong. Not one thing. I take full responsibility for my actions.
The academic achievements of the student-athletes in our program over the past 35 years are second to none. My record on academics speaks for itself. Our program has developed 28 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners, seven SEC Scholar-Athlete Award winners, three NCAA Woman of the Year winners, and nine Foundation Fellows.
It saddens me that our coaches, student-athletes and support staff — through no fault of their own — were drawn into this matter. I am proud that our student-athletes and our staff did not allow it to distract them during the season and that we were able to work together to reach our lofty goals. I appreciate their commitment to maintaining the high standards we have established throughout the years.
This is an ongoing process, and I will not have any other comments on this matter publicly or privately until the process has been completed.
I have known Jack since 1970. I was a teammate of his for four years and have followed his career closely. Jack has been involved with Georgia for 44 years in some fashion. He and Harry have taken the program from bad to excellent. Both are dedicated to academics as well as swimming. Their athletes have a tremendous overall grade point average and many have received post graduate scholarships. Jack’s thirty four years of coaching and his impeccable record up to this point should weigh heavily on the side of allowing him to continue his coaching career and allow him to retire on his own terms when he chooses.
according to the notice of allegations: Jack was given repeated instructions NOT to add the class by athletic department and he did it anyway … this is what put the nails in his coffin!
How did NCAA become first become aware of this?
Many times another school gives you up when they hear any roumors and the NCAA has a corp of investigators and are pros in looking into matters with a lot of experience passed on to the future people who are looking. They were doing it back in the late 50’s and they now how and where to look.
Are they harder on swimmers than football players?
Must not have been an engineering course. The sun doesn’t rise, but as sure as the sun appears in the east every morning due to the earths rotation, engineering professors don’t make a “mistake” when dealing out final grades.
Maybe the athlete was suspended until he finished the coursework and earned the grade. Since transcripts are confidential, who’s to say the course wasn’t needed for eligibility. The wording in the complaint “added as a buffer” could be used so as not to invade the privacy of the athlete pertaining to confidential transcripts.
44 years at GA swim&dive…respect to all of your swimmers’ work, triumphs and your accomplishments.
how many times (so far) have you done adjustments in the academic-athletics eligibility balance jack?
It sounds like those who left or transferred from the UGA program in made the right decision to get out of there. It would be awful to be caught up in this situation, not just as a coach, but to the swimmers on deck… I would leave.
When things get tough, you leave?
who transferred? They just won the national championships!!
My ultimate opinion is that while this was a huge mistake…I think it can be forgivable. It wasn’t like the student in question received a “good grade”…I assume this grade was a C- (if I recall a D is not considered passing)…which actually (for most students at least) pulls down your overall GPA. This grade will certainly not help if this student chooses to apply to graduate school.
The only thing “helped” by the grade/class addition was the buffer in case of ineligibility. Yes, I agree this is a mistake…but I don’t think it should ruin Jack’s career and legacy at Georgia. It should be forgivable, at least with time. This… Read more »
HONESTY and INTEGRITY is EVERYTHING! I know from personal experience that many within the Swimming Community don’t agree. What’s the lesson – don’t get caught?
ANON2, you say that this should ruin Jack’s career, but I disagree. It should and it has. How can he, in good conscience, make another in-home visit or bring in an athlete and talk about academic integrity without it ringing hollow? You have to imagine coaches recruiting against him will be also alluding or citing this “forgivable huge mistake”.
But it also comes down to that Jack could have dealt with the student-athlete personally well beforehand and try to fix this situation…by having the individual actually try to fix the situation by himself. If this happened, and Jack still did these actions (without accepting the consequences or consulting his superiors for advice or direction), he deserves whatever fate awaits… Read more »
That said, I saw that Kelvin Sampson did get a job not too long ago. So I guess if you have a “winning” reputation and personality, redemption is just a suspension away.
From a reliable source, Coach Baurle’s statement is accurate as it pertains to Chase. “I want to emphasize unequivocally that the student-athlete involved in this matter did nothing wrong. Not one thing. I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Chase has completed two semesters since enrolling at UGA and has been named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll with a GPA greater than 3.0 both semesters.This is listed on his official UGA Swim Team member bio. Blue’s previous comment regarding his deferred enrollment was supported and detailed in an exclusive from another swimming website. Several of you have erroneously stated that Chase had previous academic issues, but this is not the case. Chase actually completed all of his high… Read more »
Since you claim to know so much and it seems like you are saying Chase Kalisz is not the student in question, who IS the UGA student that caused this?
If this young man is without blame or issue, then why the January suspension?
JimDandy – the initial reaction in these situations is to suspend everyone, especially in a sport like swimming where the regular season doesn’t mean much. That prevents programs from having to go back and forfeit the accomplishments of the entire team, which is both embarrassing and potentially an even bigger negative for the program.