Lars Jorgensen
{{short description|American swimmer, Olympic athlete and coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = Lars Jorgensen
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Lars Ploug Jorgensen
| occupation = Collegiate swim coach
| nicknames =
| national_team = United States
| strokes = Freestyle
| club = Blue Fins Swim Club
San Diego, CA
| collegeteam = University of Tennessee
| coach = Steve Eisler (Mount Carmel)
John Trembley (Tennessee)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|9|1|mf=y}}
| birth_place = San Diego, California{{Cite web|url=https://lsusports.net/coach/lars-jorgensen/|title=Lars Jorgensen|date=June 1, 2021|website=LSU}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|6|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|176|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}
{{MedalCountry| the United States}}
{{MedalCompetition | Pan Pacific Games}}
{{MedalSilver | 1989 Tokyo | 1500 m freestyle}}
{{MedalCompetition | Pan American Games}}
{{MedalSilver | 1987 Indianapolis | 1500m freestyle}}
}}
Lars Ploug Jorgensen (born September 1, 1970) is an American former Olympic swimmer who competed for the University of Tennessee and was a college coach at the University of Kentucky. In April 2024 the US Center for SafeSport suspended him temporarily for allegations of misconduct.
Early life
Born into a swimming family on November 1, 1970, in San Diego, California, Jorgensen swam at Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, California and then transferred and swam for Mount Carmel High School in San Diego where he was trained by Coach Steve Eisler. Both schools had strong swimming traditions, as Mission Viejo had been a National Champion, and Mount Carmel had enjoyed five county titles and two runner-up finishes by 1987. In San Diego, Lars also swam for the Blue Fins Swim Team coached by his father Niels Jorgensen.Shea, John, " Prep Special, Jorgensen is Sun Devil's Ace", Times-Advocate, Escondido, California, April 28, 1987, pg. 18{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/niels-jorgensen-coach-of-olympian-sons-lars-and-dan-dies-at-80/|website=swimswam.com|title=Keith, Braden, Swimswam Magazine, January 30, 2018, Niels Jorgensen, Coach of Olympians Lars and Dan, Dies at 80|access-date=May 28, 2025}}Monahan, Terry, "He Wants Stroke of Fortune in Spain", Daily Times Advocate, Escondido, California, August 12, 1986, pg. 19 He swam in college for the University of Tennessee ('94), where he was coached by John Trembley.{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/breaking-tennessee-fires-mens-swim-coach-john-trembley/|website=swimswam.com|title=Swimswam Magazine, Braden, Keith, January 4, 2012, Tennessee Fires Swim Coach John Trembley|access-date=May 28, 2025}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=kYNYAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Lars+Jorgensen%22+%22san+diego%22 Swimming World and Junior Swimmer]{{Cite web|url=https://utsports.com/sports/swimming-and-diving/roster/coaches/lars-jorgensen/346|title=Lars Jorgensen - Swimming & Diving Coach|website=University of Tennessee Athletics}}
1988 Seoul Olympics
Jorgensen represented the United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417162817/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/jo/lars-jorgensen-1.html Lars Jorgensen]. Retrieved November 10, 2012. He competed in the preliminary heats of the men's 1,500-meter freestyle, and finished with the 23rd-best time overall (15:39.51). Russia, West Germany and East Germany took the Gold, Silver and Bronze in the event. Jorgensen was around 33 seconds out of contending for a bronze medal.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417162811/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1988/SWI/mens-1500-metres-freestyle.html Men's 1,500 metres Freestyle]. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
In 1995, Jorgensen set the swim course record with 46:44 for the swimming leg of the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.[http://m.ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/1995.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024637/http://m.ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/1995.pdf |date=2019-03-02 }} 1995 official Ironman World Championship Results His swim record held until 2018, when Jan Sibbersen set the new fastest swim time in 46:29.[http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/world-championship/results.aspx?y=2018&rd=20181013&race=worldchampionship&bidid=1317&detail=1 2018 official] Ironman World Championship Results Jorgensen's swim time of 46:41 from 1998 does not count as a valid course record, as he did not complete the Ironman that year.http://m.ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/1998.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024617/http://m.ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/1998.pdf |date=2019-03-02 }} 1998 official Ironman World Championship Results
Coaching career and suspensions
Jorgensen was the head coach of the swimming team for the University of Kentucky from 2014-23.{{cite web |title=Lars Jorgenson |url=https://ukathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1843&path=swimming |publisher=UKAthletics |accessdate=6 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://ukathletics.com/coach/lars-jorgensen/|title=Lars Jorgensen|date=May 3, 2022|website=UK Athletics}} He had previously coached at the University of Toledo from 2004-10, and then coached at the University of Tennessee. He began his career as an Assistant and then Associate Head Coach at Louisiana State University.{{Cite web|url=https://utrockets.com/news/2010/7/30/Head_Coach_Lars_Jorgensen_Resigns_Returning_to_Tennessee_to_Take_Assistant_Coaching_Position|title=Head Coach Lars Jorgensen Resigns; Returning to Tennessee to Take Assistant Coaching Position|date=June 5, 2024|website=University of Toledo Athletics}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51427|title=Olympedia Biography, Lars Jorgensen|website=olympedia.org|access-date=May 28, 2025}}
While coaching at the University of Kentucky, he was suspended in 2019 for six days without pay for failure to report sexual harassment allegations made against one his staff members.{{Cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/former-kentucky-coach-lars-jorgensen-reportedly-suspended-previously-in-2019/|title=Former Kentucky Coach Lars Jorgensen Reportedly Suspended Previously in 2019|first=Riley|last=Overend|date=May 24, 2024|website=SwimSwam}}
Jorgensen was again suspended in November 2023.
In April 2024, a Title IX sexual violence lawsuit was filed against Jorgensen which alleged that he would "prey on, sexually harass, and commit horrific sexual assaults and violent rapes against young female coaches and collegiate athletes who were reliant on him" during his time as swim coach at the University of Kentucky between 2013 and 2023, and also accused the university of "complicity."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5410705/2024/04/12/kentucky-swimming-lars-jorgensen-sexual-assault-allegations/|title=Kentucky accused of 'complicity' as former swim coach allegedly committed sexual violence|first=Katie|last=Strang|publisher=The Athletic|date=2024-04-12}}{{cite news|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2024/04/13/kentucky-swimming-lars-jorgensen-lawsuit-mitch-barnhart/73312300007/|title=Ex-Kentucky swim coach Lars Jorgensen accused of rape, sexual assault in lawsuit|first=Ryan|last=Black|publisher=Louisville Courier Journal|date=April 13, 2024|accessdate=April 16, 2024}} In addition to Jorgensen, former coach Gary Conelly, athletics director Mitch Barnhart, and the university itself were named in the lawsuit.
Emails from June 2012 revealed that Mark Howard, a former assistant swimming coach at the University of Toledo, informed both Barnhart and Conelly that Jorgensen was accused of having a sexual relationship with a female student he coached. Conelly, who at the time served as the University of Kentucky head swim coach, and Barnhart hired Jorgensen nonetheless. Prior to the 2024 lawsuit, the University of Toledo allegation was also previously made public in 2014, where a softball coach suing the University of Toledo for sex discrimination stated Jorgensen "had a long term romantic relationship with a player. The University hired this player as an assistant coach and eventually promoted her to head coach, passing over top candidates for this position."{{cite news|url=https://www.clevescene.com/news/former-toledo-softball-coach-sues-school-for-discrimination-calls-out-other-coaches-and-administrator-for-relationships-with-students-and-sub-4396868|title=Former Toledo Softball Coach Sues School For Discrimination, Calls Out Other Coaches and Administrator For Relationships With Students And Subordinates|first=Doug|last=Brown|publisher=Scene|date=October 22, 2014|accessdate=April 16, 2024}}
Jorgensen and his lawyer denied the allegations, where two of his former swimmers who had turned assistant coaches (including Briggs Alexander) alleged that he groomed and eventually raped them, and claims that the relationships he had with the two coaches were consensual.{{Cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/lars-jorgensen-suspended-by-safesport-amid-sexual-abuse-lawsuit/|title=Lars Jorgensen Suspended By SafeSport Amid Sexual Abuse Lawsuit|first=James|last=Sutherland|date=May 3, 2024|website=SwimSwam}}
That same month, the US Center for SafeSport suspended Jorgensen temporarily for allegations of misconduct, and issued no-contact directives to him.
Jorgensen resigned from his post as head coach of the Wildcats’ swim & dive program in June 2024.
Personal life
He is the brother of fellow Olympic swimmer Dan Jorgensen, and the son of swimming Coach Niels Jorgensen.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51427 Olympedia Biography, Lars Jorgensen]
- [https://swimswam.com/lars-jorgensen-suspended-by-safesport-amid-sexual-abuse-lawsuit/ Lars Jorgensen Suspended By SafeSport]
{{Footer USA Swimming 1988 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jorgensen, Lars}}
Category:American male freestyle swimmers
Category:Kentucky Wildcats swimming and diving
Category:LSU Tigers and Lady Tigers swimming coaches
Category:Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games
Category:Olympic swimmers for the United States
Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in swimming
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for the United States
Category:Summer World University Games medalists in swimming
Category:Swimmers at the 1987 Pan American Games
Category:Swimmers at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Category:Swimmers from San Diego
Category:Tennessee Volunteers men's swimmers
Category:Tennessee Volunteers swimming coaches