The longtime head coach of Towson University’s swimming and diving team has been replaced amid an investigation over a video-recording device found in the women’s locker room at the Maryland university more than a month ago.
Pat Mead, the seven-times Colonial Athletic Association coach of the year who has overseen the program since 1998, was functionally relieved of his duties when the school announced the appointment of first-year assistant Jake Shrum to acting head coach.
The move came one day after team members informed administration of their intent to boycott an upcoming dual meet due to the school’s protracted investigation over a smartphone discovered on 16 October in the Burdick Pool locker room, which is not open to the public.
Swimming World Magazine first reported news of the boycott on Monday, citing team members’ mounting frustrations with a pair of investigations into the incident.
The sources said administrators had met with the team at least four times since the device was initially reported, with no new information disclosed other than confirmation of the ongoing Title XI and Towson University Police Department investigations. They added that athletics director Tim Leonard was not present at the three most recent meetings.
The university acknowledged the dissatisfaction of some team members, but said it “must follow due process to ensure the correct actions are taken”.
“It is imperative that we are working with information that is accurate, complete, and verified in order to make these difficult decisions,” the university said in a statement provided to the Guardian. “We continue to move toward the conclusion of the investigation as swiftly as possible.”
A senior member of the swim team contacted by the Guardian declined to comment.
The school also said the team will not participate in this weekend’s Pittsburgh Invite in order to “refocus, recover and regroup and to prepare to restart the competition schedule in January”.
The 200-word statement made no mention of Mead, the team’s head coach for the past 17 seasons, or his wife Maureen Mead, who coaches the diving team.
The Meads have not responded to requests for comment.
A number of swim teams from other schools have expressed support for Towson’s team on social media, among them the Colorado School of Mines, Northeastern University and Randolph-Macon College.
Thank you @minesswimming for your support! We greatly appreciate it! 🐯💛 #towsonstrong pic.twitter.com/d230TWL7Ha
— Kendall Krumenacker (@KRUM__cake) November 18, 2015
Swimmers of Northeastern University support Towson Swimming & Diving pic.twitter.com/G90zjsyuTw
— kerry treusdell (@k_treus) November 17, 2015
Thank for @RMCswimming for your support! We appreciate it a lot! 💛🐯 pic.twitter.com/Q3U358o2fq
— Kendall Krumenacker (@KRUM__cake) November 17, 2015
