BOSTON — Boston College has hired five-time Olympian Dara Torres as its swimming and diving coach to help the school rebuild the program after a hazing scandal.
Torres, 57, will coach both the men and women.
''From the moment we met with Dara, it was evident that she was exactly the fit we were looking for to begin a fresh, new chapter of Boston College swimming and diving,'' BC athletic director Blake James said Tuesday in a statement. ''Her record as a world-class competitor is historic and her ability to clearly articulate her vision as a coach and leader will allow our student-athletes to develop and excel in and out of the pool.''
BC suspended the swimming and diving programs last fall after allegations that freshmen were coerced into binge drinking and told to wear plastic bags around their necks to catch the vomit. Head coach Joe Brinkman, diving coach Jack Lewis and two assistants were fired after the school found ''a team culture that has failed to meet the expectations Boston College holds for its student-athletes.''
Torres was a 28-time All-American at Florida and was named the 1988 Southeastern Conference Female Athlete of the Year. She held six world records and 10 American records in a career that spanned Olympics from 1984-2008, where she won four gold medals, four silver and four bronze.
She is a member of the International Swimming and United States Olympic Committee Halls of Fame.
''This is a full-circle moment for me,'' Torres said. ''I've learned from great coaches at every point in my career. This opportunity to share what I've learned, in and out of the pool, and pass along technique, confidence and support as part of the Boston College athletics department is a dream. I can't wait to see what we accomplish together.''
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This story has been updated to remove references of swimmers eating their own vomit.
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