Over the past month, all focus on the Utah swim team has surrounded allegations against former head coach Greg Winslow. Claims of alcoholism, verbal and physical abuse and molestation have shrouded the program, and the voices of former swimmers who felt wronged by Winslow flooded in.
But quiet during the entire process were the swimmers and divers still on the team, the ones most directly affected by the incident. The timing couldn’t have been worse — Winslow was suspended on the second day of the Women’s Pac-12 Championships, leaving the team without a head coach. But the Utes didn’t wither.
The result of the 2012-2013 Utes’ season is a team that is far closer than it was before Winslow’s suspension, one that is optimistic for the future and appreciative of how the university handled the situation.
Before the Utes could hold their heads high, though, they had to deal with the loss of their head coach.
“Everyone was upset and crying,” said diver Kersten Merry. “We had just had a great night of relays and were ready to start the second day of competing … it was like it was a dream. We were all sitting there, and it was a shock. We didn’t have that much information — we just knew he was gone.”
Merry describes a team that was shell-shocked by the news and timing of Winslow’s suspension, but the Utes were able to rebound quickly. The women’s team finished seventh in the Pac-12 Championships while the men’s squad finished fifth and sent three athletes to the NCAA finals.
Swimmer LeighAnne Oliver said the team captains, seniors and coaches played critical roles in keeping the Utes motivated during the Pac-12 Championships. Diving coach Richard Marschner was named interim head coach in the middle of the tournament.
Marschner declined to comment because of the ongoing investigation into the swim program.
Further helping the swimmers and divers was the reaction of university administration. Both athletic director Chris Hill and President David Pershing visited and consoled the team.
“The athletic department did a phenomenal job of making sure we were informed. We knew what was going on,” Merry said. “The media was kept back from us for a while so we could focus on what we were there to do. We weren’t there to listen to the stories or talk to the media. Whether there was a head coach there or not, we were there for one thing. Even if there were no coaches, we knew what we had to do.”
Utah was able to coalesce and finish the season strong, but the future of the program is cloudy. A new head coach has yet to be hired, and the ongoing investigation into the athletic administration’s handling of Winslow could leave a black eye on the program. These are real threats for the program, but current members of the team aren’t worried.
“I think it’s only going to become a negative if we let it,” Oliver said. “This has been a big bonding experience for all of us. We have all tried to be as positive as possible, and whatever coach the university brings in now is going to make this team better. And with our big upcoming freshman class, it’s going to be a great season next year.”