CMS Men’s Swim and Dive Team Investigated for Misconduct, Temporarily Suspended

Axelrood Pool. Photo credit: CMS athletics.

The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) men's swim and dive team was temporarily suspended last week as they underwent an investigation by the Claremont McKenna College (CMC) Office of Civil Rights into “some concerns” about the team’s culture, according to an email from Coach Charlie Griffiths obtained by the Independent.

The temporary suspension arose from a complaint made by a black member of the swim team to CMS athletics in mid-October about the behavior of teammates. The complaint reportedly cited the name of a Clash Royale clan, “Ben Higgers,” that members of the swim team belonged to, and additional in-person commentary made by some swimmers, including referring to each other as “Nate,” or “Higger,” an allusion to the spoonerism “Nate Higgers.” The complainant has since quit the team and moved out of the dorm room he previously shared with a teammate.

After receiving the complaint, CMS Athletics engaged Claremont McKenna’s Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer to consult. The men’s swim and dive team was temporarily suspended, and staff from the CMC Office of Civil Rights conducted interviews with each men’s swim and dive team member, eventually advising that the team remain under suspension “so that each member of the team can reflect.” The investigation also sought information about multiple alleged derogatory remarks made by individual men’s team members about women, including members of the CMS women’s swim and dive team. 

Early this week, the majority of the team was back to practice. Lifting the suspension was contingent on each team member providing statements on “the impact of their and their team’s actions and how they plan to contribute positively to the team’s culture.” Sources familiar with the situation told the Independent that two to three members of the team remain under risk of further punishment, including possible season-long suspension.

Members of the team will also be required to “partner with the coaching staff, CMS administrators, and campus partners” to create a curriculum around “recognizing, intervening, and responding when behaviors do not align with community standards,” in an effort to “promote lasting culture changes.”

Men’s team members whose “satisfactory statements” are approved will be permitted to attend their Nov. 15 meet against CalTech, where some Claremont students are reportedly planning to protest the team.

This is the second occurrence of an investigation into CMS swim and dive in recent years—in 2019, following the discovery of the “Stag Survival Guide,” CMC determined team members exhibited "inappropriate” conduct that “justified the assignment of mandatory educational programming for the teams.”

Representatives from CMC and HMC did not respond to a request for comment.

Dhriti Jagadish and Arjun Vohra contributed reporting.