USC head swimming coach Jeremy Kipp has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of abusive conduct toward athletes, the Southern California News Group has learned.
USC athletics director Mike Bohn informed the Trojans team of the decision during a pool deck meeting Friday afternoon, according to a source familiar with a university investigation of Kipp.
Kipp can appeal the decision. Associate head coach Lea Maurer, a former Olympic champion and Stanford head coach, is expected to serve as interim head coach.
The move follows a months-long investigation commissioned by USC into multiple allegations of abuse against Kipp, including that he threw a water bottle at a swimmer, according to a person familiar with the investigation and documents related to the investigation.
Kipp did not respond to a request for comment.
“The well-being of our student-athletes is our top priority. When a concern is raised about a coach or staff member, the university takes it seriously and looks into it,” USC said in a statement to SCNG. “Coach Jeremy Kipp is on administrative leave. We are unable to provide further details because of the confidential nature of personnel matters.”
Kipp, a longtime USC assistant coach, was hired as USC’s head coach after Dave Salo retired from position after the 2019-20. Before taking over for Salo, a member of multiple U.S. Olympic coaching staffs, Kipp spent two seasons as head coach at Northwestern.
Kipp was an assistant coach under Salo from 2008 to 2015. He also served as a personal coach for Olympic champion Ous Mellouli of Tunisia at the 2009 World Championships, where Mellouli won a gold medal and two silver medals.