The University of Indianapolis, home to one of the top NCAA Division II swimming & diving programs in the country, has fired head coach Jason Hite according to a letter obtained by SwimSwam. Hite no longer appears on the team’s website.
An email was sent to members of the swimming & diving team on Friday informing them of the decision by Scott Young, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Young told athletes that the termination came after NCAA violations were reported to his office on December 15.
“Upon learning this, the University followed its established policies and immediately conducted an investigation into these matters,” Young said in his letter. “We also began the process of self-reporting these violations to the NCAA.
“After reviewing these facts, I made the difficult decision to terminate Coach [Hite’s] employment with the University. We have a longstanding tradition in this Department of Athletics of integrity and upholding both University and NCAA rules and regulations, the disregard for which cannot be tolerated.”
No specific description of the violations were provided, and no violations for UIndy currently appear in the NCAA’s major infractions database.
Hite was in his 7th season as the head coach at UIndy. He was named the 2018 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year and led the men’s team to back-to-back third place showing at the NCAA Championships in 2018 and 2019. The men’s and women’s teams both placed 3rd at the 2021 NCAA Championship meet.
In total, the program received 318 All-America awards in his time there, including a school-record 83 honors in 2021.
In the mid-season Swimulator rankings, UIndy’s women and men both ranked 2nd behind only Queens in projected NCAA Championship scoring. UIndy swimmers have the top time in the nation this season in 4 NCAA Championship events, including the top two times in the 400 IM:
- Women’s 50 free – Johanna Buys, Senior (22.52)
- Men’s 100 back – Likith Prema, Junior (52.76)
- Women’s 200 IM – Marizel van Jaarsveld, 5th year (2:00.32)
- Women’s 400 IM – Andrea Espinoza, Freshman (4:16.88)
Associate head coach Brent Noble has been promoted to interim head coach. He is in his 3rd year with the team and was previously the Director of Swimming Science and Technology at the famed Race Club in Florida.
He also spent 7 seasons as a collegiate head coach, split between the University of Evansville, Wabash College, and Sacred Heart University. Among other honors, he was named the 2015 North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Coach of the Year.
SwimSwam has reached out to Hite for comment. While he didn’t respond to any specific questions, he did release a short statement: “I am grateful for my time at UIndy and wish the student-athletes and the team all the best.”
Scott Young’s Full Letter to Student-Athletes
“I write to you of a decision that some of you will no doubt find disappointing. As of earlier today, head coach Jason Hite is no longer employed by the University of Indianapolis.
I truly apologize for delivering the news in this way, however the majority of you have already left campus and are traveling home for the holiday so coordinating schedules to meet together, virtually or in-person would be impossible. I wanted to communicate this decision with you in the quickest possible manner to avoid the information traveling through the rumor mill or you hearing it from an unaffiliated third party.
On December 15 I was alerted to potential NCAA rules violations in the mens and womens swimming and diving program. Upon learning this, the University followed its established policies and immediately conducted an investigation into these matters. We also began the process of self-reporting these violations to the NCAA.
After reviewing these facts, I made the difficult decision to terminate Coach Hites employment with the University. We have a longstanding tradition in this Department of Athletics of integrity and upholding both University and NCAA rules and regulations, the disregard for which cannot be tolerated.
The University has implemented a transition plan and has named Brent Noble as the interim head coach for the mens and womens swimming and diving teams. Coach Noble is in his third season with the program and has played a critical role in its success over that time. I will continue to work with the coaching staff and with you to ensure a smooth transition during this time.
I understand that this will be a difficult message for many of you to read, at a time of year meant to offer you a period of rejuvenation, but I want you to know my commitment to your successes as students and as athletes has never been greater. I will make available to you any resources I can to help you through the transition.
If you need to speak to someone to help you through this matter over break, please contact Vice President for Student & Campus Affairs Kory Vitangeli and she will put you in touch with resources within the UIndy Counseling Center.
The UIndy Swimming and Diving program is greater than the sum of its parts, and is not defined by any one person. I remain confident in your success as student-athletes and as UNiversity leaders, and I look forward to seeing all that you will still accomplish through the remainder of this season and beyond.
Hey, Indy, the University of Evansville fired Noble for NCAA violations. You may want to reconsider your interim head coach. You may want to pick up the phone and make a call WAY down south.
What kind of violations
If I recall correctly it was not that serious of a violation. I believe it was allowing someone to practice when they weren’t allowed to yet, like they hadn’t done their physical or something. Brent’s a great dude and a great coach, and I’m excited to see what he’s able to do with the team.
There are no infractions on the NCAA website for either UINDY or Evansville.
Anyone know if the NCAA’s is going to put any sanctions on UINDY this season?? I would think if there were Title 9 issues and scholarship issues that the NCAA would be announcing some type sanctions against the University now that he’s been released.
Sanctions as in??
Well I am shocked to say the least. This coming from a father of a high school senior that was being heavily recruited by Jason at UIndy. Both my son and my experiences were always positive with coach. I have read all of the comments here, many made by former and present swimmers. Obviously there is a wide range of opinions that have been formed in the program under Jason. I always like to think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Time will tell. This obviously isn’t what my son needed to hear as UIndy was in his top 3 picks. He has delayed committing and maybe now for good reason. I pray for all parties involved. I also… Read more »
Our eldest was recruited, signed to D1 Big10 school. March just before arriving, the coach was fired and most of the remaining staff relocated. The Athletic Department hired a great coach and staff. This freshman class are seniors now. The only ones that left graduated early or medically retired. It was really a good change. We were told choose the school not the coach or coaches because the staff can change. Good luck.
Thanks for sharing the experience. My gut tells me it will all work out for the best. In the long run this adversity should only help my son in life, thx
Anyone who understands how competitive swimming works should take a look at where UIndy was before Hite took over and where they are now (fighting to win the ncaa title). As a former athlete of his, I am fully aware of his coaching style. If anyone thinks that this man is a problem, feel free to reach out on this comment with any evidence they may have to support that, and I am willing to have a private and civil discussion about the matter.
This is a very vague message. What do you mean where it was before him and where they are now? We can see from the article and comments as to how they may have gotten there
I had one year with him. My senior year and my times improved, was never the fastest dude on the team. I left the program thinking things would be better and the program would improve. People have told me things changed and to see this happen is sad. Hope the institution I love and the team I love bounce back sooner than later.
I had one year with him. My times improved and that was my last year. When he was hired many were hopeful that things would improve. But seemingly right after my eligability ended I started hearing and observing multiple people leaving and transferring out. It struck me as odd. I am currently in a different space in life and not as well versed in whats going on. But to see this happen to my institution and a team I love is sad.
Shame on anyone defending Jason here. He comes from the corrupt circle of Drury swimming where we all know rules don’t really exist. Jason was in a battle with Reynolds for who could have more Title IX investigations against them.
The rumor I’ve heard is that Jason was paying multiple athletes for no-show jobs. A HUGE no-no under NCAA rules, not to mention potentially criminal. He’s honestly lucky that the University has not presssed criminal charges.
Hopefully one of the unintended casualties of this situation is not UIndy’s season as I can’t imagine paying “players” is looked upon too kindly down the street from UIndy at the NCAA offices.
Good riddance to a terrible coach and worse… Read more »
What does Drury have to do with it??
Rumor. Yes. Rumor. Your post is based on RUMOR?! My goodness.
Get a life and stop spreading rumors!!! And btw Jason is great guy!!! All the comments above are just bunch of BS !
As a PRESTIGIOUS former all American, sounds like a lot of these people in the comments were praying on his downfall. Guys it’s D2 swimming and you already graduated. The only people who are going to read this article are people who swam on the team and actually were wishing this on the man. He misinterpreted the rules for recruiting, the swim team was a no cut team, nobody was made to do anything they didn’t personally sign up for. Stop trying to send a man to the gulag for not being an an empathetic swim coach to those who couldn’t bring a championship to Uindy.
To Momma Truth….I’m not really sure what being a “PRESTIGIOUS former all American” has to do with your comment. I’ll put my name to my comments….this is Gary Kinkead; former TOP 6 WORLD CLASS swimmer and multiple All-American at Michigan….even more, the FORMER Swimming/Diving coach at UIndy. Not really sure what “Guys it’s D2” means….you seem to think it is easy to graduate and compete in Swimming/Diving or even Athletics in Division 2. You seem to downplay the importance of people’s thoughts and feeling. This is not a comment on Jason and the accusations, Jason did a marvelous job at UIndy over the past 7 years, I am proud of what he has accomplished; this is a comment on how… Read more »
Yes. This. I felt the same.
This right here is the problem. The cycle of abuse in college athletics will continue as long as there are people like this willing to defend abusers. Blaming victims is the oldest trick in the book. Shameful.