Dave Durden Named Acting Director of Swimming for Cal Men and Women

Dave Durden -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Dave Durden Named Acting Director of Swimming for Cal Men and Women

With women’s head coach Teri McKeever remaining on administrative leave, Cal has confirmed that Dave Durden is the acting Director of Women’s and Men’s Swimming at the school. McKeever is currently under investigation by the university after reports accused the coach of verbal abuse and bullying toward her swimmers. The story broke in late May, and she was placed on leave from the program a day later.

Durden confirmed to Swimming World in July that the Cal teams were training together during the summer, with women’s assistant coach Jesse Moore, newly-hired men’s assistant Matt Bowe and former Auburn coach David Marsh all assisting. Now, that arrangement will continue for at least the time being with McKeever’s status in flux.

The university made it official in a statement on Wednesday.

“Our men and women have been working together this summer and it has allowed my mind to think about all of the possibilities as we charge towards Paris 2024,” Durden said in a university release. “To have David Marsh and his knowledge on the deck with us is such a positive for both our men and women, and working with Matt and Jesse over these last several weeks has helped me put a framework around this concept moving forward.”

Durden has been one of the most successful college swim coaches in the country since taking over the Golden Bears’ men’s program in advance of the 2007-2008 season. His teams have won five national titles during that stretch, most recently last March in Atlanta. Cal’s men have finished first or second at the last 12 NCAA Men’s Championships, a run going back to Durden’s third year as head coach.

Bowe was hired this summer after a successful run as an assistant at Ohio State. Moore, the former head coach at Dartmouth, was hired in April.

Marsh joined as a volunteer assistant on an interim basis in February 2022 while Chase Kreitler was on paternity leave. (Kreitler has since taken the head-coaching job at Pitt.) The International Swimming Hall of Famer won 12 NCAA titles (seven men’s, five women’s) and 17 SEC titles (13 men’s, four women’s) at Auburn.

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with Dave and the Golden Bears last season, and I’m honored and excited to assist in the process of helping develop world class people and world class swimmers,” Marsh said in the press release. “With Coach Durden’s vision, I’m 100% sure the men and women of Berkeley have a fantastic future. Go Bears!”

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