UK swimming coach Lars Jorgensen resigns after report of NCAA investigation
One week after a report from SwimSwam.com that he had been suspended due to an NCAA investigation, UK swimming and diving coach Lars Jorgensen has resigned.
UK announced the move Wednesday evening, noting a national search for his replacement would begin following Jorgensen’s resignation. The announcement did not reference a NCAA investigation, and a UK spokesman said the department had no comment on the SwimSwam report.
SwimSwam, a swimming and diving-focused news website, reported last week that Jorgensen had been away from the team since early May due to an investigation into possible rules violations. Jorgensen’s assistant coaches were also suspended for one week and associate head coach Michael Camper had resigned, according to the report.
Citing confidential sources, SwimSwam reported Jorgensen had previously been suspended for UK’s first meet at Texas A&M last season.
Jorgensen has led the program since the 2013-14 season. He was an assistant coach for UK for one season before being promoted to head coach.
After the initial report, multiple former UK swimmers took to social media to defend Jorgensen.
“Lars has recently been highlighted negatively,” former UK swimmer Izzy Gati posted to Instagram. “That’s not fair to him. He has made UK swimming the successful SEC program it is today. Most people may not know but Lars took a leap of faith in recruiting me. I was decent in high school but nowhere near a top recruit. He took me in and made me the resilient, fierce, and powerful young lady I am today. While I did become a multi time All-American, SEC champion, and school record holder, I also succeeded in other areas of life by Lars. I was encouraged to engage in the community weekly. I joined service groups and mentoring groups with his support. I succeeded in the classroom. I got into multiple PT schools, had a 4.0 GPA and was always encouraged to reach high for my future.
“I had to work hard for everything I had in my swimming and academic career. But I would not be where I am today without Lars. So to him I say thank you and I stand with you. The media is quick to act on the negative side but rarely will highlight the good.”
Former UK swimmer Riley Gaines, who has gained national attention for criticizing the NCAA for allowing a transgender woman to participate in women’s swimming and diving, and at least one more former member of the team commented on Gati’s post adding their support.
New Mexico swimmer Maddie Deucher, who started her career at Kentucky before transferring, painted a different picture, telling SwimSwam she experienced mental abuse and negligence from Jorgensen and his staff during her one season in Lexington.
“Once I entered the portal I didn’t want to swim anymore,” Deucher told SwimSwam. “I hated the sport and everything that came with it. I thought all programs were like UK and was terrified. Once I transferred to UNM, I realized college swimming is nothing like UK but a good majority of ‘elite’ programs operate like them. It’s finally time compliance does something about this program.”
During his UK tenure, Jorgensen helped lead the Wildcat swimming and diving program to new heights.
In 2016, he coached Danielle Galyer to UK’s first individual swimming national championship. Asia Seidt earned 21 All-America honors, 15 SEC championships medals and the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award with Jorgensen as coach. The UK women’s team won the program’s first SEC championship in 2021.
Jorgensen represented the United States in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and won six national championships during his swimming career.
Jorgensen’s most recent UK contract was set to run through the 2024-25 school year. His annual salary was $190,000 last season.
This story was originally published June 28, 2023 at 7:38 PM.