Dear Members of the USF Community,
I am writing to update the community on a change, effective immediately, in USF’s baseball program.
As you may have read in news reports or social media posts over the past few days, a class action lawsuit was filed with complaints involving USF baseball coaches. This morning, Joan McDermott, director of athletics, announced that head baseball coach Nino Giarratano has been fired.
In late 2021, USF investigated complaints from team members and their families, and as a result fired associate head coach Troy Nakamura on Jan. 13 and officially reprimanded Giarratano on Jan. 24. Separate from the recent lawsuit allegations, USF learned that Giarratano allowed Nakamura to be on the university baseball field before a game on March 9, after Nakamura’s termination.
Pitching coach Mat Keplinger has been appointed interim head baseball coach, effective immediately.
Athletics is an important part of the USF experience, and we honor the contributions of all our student athletes to our community. We are committed to prioritizing the safety and well-being of all our students, and we apologize to current and former students who have been affected by the conduct of former coaches. We have reopened our internal investigation, and encourage anyone with information to contact the Title IX office or to report information to the anonymous whistleblower hotline.
Sincerely,
Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J.
President