Boston College Swimming and Diving Teams Suspended Over Hazing

Boston College said on Wednesday that it had suspended its swimming and diving program indefinitely after university officials learned about hazing within the teams.

The university did not disclose details about the hazing, when it took place or how extensive it was.

“The university does not — and will not — tolerate hazing in any form,” Boston College said in a brief statement on Wednesday announcing the suspension of both the men’s and women’s teams. It added that the teams’ student-athletes would still “have access to academic and medical resources provided to all Boston College student-athletes.”

A spokesman for the program declined to comment further. Blake James, the Boston College athletic director, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

The announcement came as the swimming and diving season was about to begin. An intrasquad “maroon vs. gold” meet had been scheduled for Saturday, before a meet against George Washington University on Oct. 7.

Boston College is the latest major American university to reckon with concerns about hazing and a toxic culture in their athletic programs. In July, Northwestern University fired its longtime head football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, after an investigation revealed that players had participated in widespread hazing.

Joe Brinkman, the head coach of Boston College’s swimming and diving program, and Brian Keane, an assistant coach, have been with the teams for about a year. Brinkman was named head coach in August 2022, and Keane was named assistant coach the following month.

Brinkman and Keane did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday, nor did Jack Lewis, the head diving coach since 2019.

At the end of the 2022-23 season, 31 members of the swimming and diving program were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Team, which requires student-athletes to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

Both the Boston College men’s and women’s teams finished last at the conference championship in February.