Clemson Swimming Coach Christopher Ip Suspended

Feb. 20, 2008

Clemson, SC – Clemson Swimming and Diving Head Coach Christopher Ip has been suspended pending a final NCAA ruling beginning with the two Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Swimming and Diving meets over the next two weeks. The ACC women’s meet will be held this week, Feb. 20-23, and the men’s meet will be held Feb. 27 through March 1. Both meets will be held in Atlanta.

Following past precedent in these situations by the NCAA, Clemson University issued the suspension.

Ip was suspended for allowing an ineligible swimmer to compete in exhibition swims in two meets earlier this year. The student-athlete’s results did not count towards Clemson’s team score in either meet. However, NCAA rules state that such participation counts as a competition.

Clemson finished the regular season with a 12-2 record overall in men’s meets, 6-2 in the ACC. The women’s team finished 8-7 overall, 3-5 in the ACC.

Steve Phillips, an assistant coach, will serve as interim head coach for the women’s ACC meet this weekend, while Leslie Hasselbach, assistant coach in charge of diving for the men’s and women’s programs, will serve as interim head coach for the men’s ACC meet the following weekend.