Western Kentucky University swim team hazing scandal

In 2015, there was a hazing scandal involving the swimming and diving program at Western Kentucky University (WKU). Investigations into the allegations began in January of that year and revealed instances of hazing dating back to at least 2012. The scandal resulted in the university placing the entire program on a five-year suspension, though, due to budget cuts, the program has not been reinstated as of 2024.

WKU is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, whose swimming program had been noted for a history of success over several decades, including training one Olympic gold medalist. In January 2015, Collin Craig, a former member of the team, filed a report with the Bowling Green Police Department alleging several incidents of hazing that he had experienced the previous year as a freshman. The allegations included accusations of abuse, physical assault, and sexual assault, among other wrongdoing. Following a search of a house in which Craig said the incidents took place, the police charged one swim team member with possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia. The search also revealed evidence of hazing, which prompted an investigation by the university's Title IX coordinator. The coordinator found a culture of hazing dating back several years which the coaching staff had been aware of but had not directly addressed in a consistent manner.

In April 2015, the university announced that the program would be placed on a five-year suspension and that the coaches would be terminated. The following year, Craig filed a federal lawsuit against the university and several administrators, coaches, and former team members, eventually settling out of court for $75,000. In 2018, budget cuts resulted in the funds being held for the swimming program being eliminated, casting doubt on the revival of the program. The WKU scandal is one of several that have affected collegiate swimming programs in the 2010s and 2020s, as several programs since have faced similar issues with hazing, sometimes resulting in team suspensions and investigations.