Former Cal swim coach plans memoir while abuse lawsuit against UC regents moves forward
Teri McKeever, the former University of California women's swimming coach fired in January 2023 following psychological abuse allegations, is working on a memoir titled "From Podiums to Pariah," according to her website. A group of 17 former swimmers is currently suing the UC Board of Regents, alleging the university ignored a bullying culture McKeever is accused of fostering and retained her despite awareness of the alleged conditions. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2024, but a subsequent appellate ruling allowed it to proceed, and the plaintiffs' attorney told SFGATE that discovery could take up to a year. The memoir's listed co-author is Karen Crouse, a former New York Times swimming reporter who, according to the article, was McKeever's college teammate and sorority sister at USC — a connection not disclosed in any Times coverage Crouse wrote about the coach.
her perspective on the accusations that ended her longtime college coaching career, and how the lessons she taught athletes helped her through what followed.
Why it matters
For coaches: The case illustrates institutional accountability questions for coaches, as the lawsuit centers on whether the university enabled years of alleged misconduct.
For media: The undisclosed personal relationship between co-author Karen Crouse and McKeever during Crouse's time at the New York Times raises questions about journalistic conflicts of interest in sports coverage.
For athletes: Former Cal swimmers involved in the lawsuit may be affected by the memoir's public framing of the abuse allegations as the case enters the discovery phase.
Read the full story at Yahoo Sports
Sources
- Yahoo Sports: Disgraced Cal swim coach publishing memoir as abuse lawsuit continues