Teri McKeever

Regarded as one of the most accomplished swimming mentors in the United States, if not the world, Teri McKeever completed her 30th season overseeing the University of California women’s swimming & diving program in 2021-22.

Regarded as one of the most accomplished swimming mentors in the United States, if not the world, Teri McKeever completed her 29th season overseeing the University of California women’s swimming & diving program in 2020-21.

Over the course of her career with the Golden Bears, she has guided Cal to four NCAA and five Pac-12 team championships. This past year, the Bears placed fourth at the NCAA Championships to extend their streak of top-5 finishes to 15 years in a row - the longest run in the country. In addition, Cal captured the Pac-12 team title behind 12 wins in 18 swimming events. As a result, McKeever earned her ninth Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor.

In 2012, McKeever served as head coach of the U.S. Olympic women’s swim team in London, a unit that included six past, present and future Golden Bears who produced 13 medals for Team USA. In addition, McKeever was an assistant Olympic coach in both 2004 and ’08, has been head coach of the U.S. team at the Pac Pacific Championships twice and was head coach of the U.S. squad at the 2012 World Short-Course Championships. She is also a seven-time assistant for the United States at the World Championships.

McKeever’s swimmers have been named Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year 11 times, including Isabel Ivey in 2021, and National Swimmer of the Year on eight occasions. A total of 64 of her swimmers and divers have been chosen national scholar-athletes with 133 on Pac-12 All-Academic teams, including Rachael Acker, who was selected the Pac-12 Woman of the Year, Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a first-team Academic All-American in 2016.

McKeever’s list of accomplishments also features coaching 26 Olympians who have won 36 medals, while Golden Bears have captured NCAA individual or relay titles an impressive 66 times. She was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.

Prior to making her mark at Cal, McKeever spent five seasons at Fresno State, coaching the women’s team from 1988-92 and the men’s squad from 1990-92.

As a collegiate swimmer, McKeever earned All-America honors at USC, competing in the NCAA Championships meet all four years and helping the Trojans to four consecutive top-10 finishes. As a senior in 1983, McKeever was named USC's Outstanding Student-Athlete. She worked as an assistant coach at USC from 1984-87, helping develop several All-Americans.

McKeever graduated from USC in 1983 with a degree in education and two teaching credentials (multiple subject, secondary life science) and also earned a master’s degree in athletic administration in 1987. McKeever's father, Mike, was an All-American lineman for the Trojans' football team in 1959. McKeever comes from a family of 10 children (she is the oldest), all with varied athletic backgrounds. Sisters Kristi and Kelli Gannon were members of the U.S. national field hockey team.

In 2014, McKeever was inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame at the 68th annual San Diego Hall of Champions ceremony, as well as into the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

McKeever and her husband, Jerry Romani, live in the East Bay.

Teri McKeever’s Career Highlights:

• U.S. Olympic Team Head Coach – 2012
• 2-time U.S. Olympic Team Assistant Coach
• 7-time U.S. World Championships Team Assistant Coach
• 2-time U.S. Pan Pacs Head Coach and 1-time U.S. Pan Pacs Assistant Coach
• U.S. World Short-Course Championships Head Coach – 2012
• 9-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year
• 4-time NCAA Team Champion – 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015
• 5-time Pac-12 Team Champion – 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2021
• Coached 6 National Swimmers of the Year – Natalie Coughlin (2001, 02, 03), Dana Vollmer (2009), Caitlin Leverenz (2012), Elizabeth Pelton (2013), Missy Franklin (2015), Kathleen Baker (2017)
• Coached 9 Pac-12 Swimmers of the Year – Marylyn Chiang (1999), Haley Cope (2000), Natalie Coughlin (2001, 02, 03), Dana Vollmer (2009), Caitlin Leverenz (2012), Elizabeth Pelton (2013), Missy Franklin (2015), Abbey Weitzeil (2019), Isabel Ivey (2021)
• Coached 5 Honda Sports Award Winners – Natalie Coughlin (2002, 03), Dana Vollmer (2009), Caitlin Leverenz (2012), Missy Franklin (2015), Abbey Weitzeil (2021)
• Coached 26 swimmers who have won 36 Olympic medals
• Coached 64 swimmers and divers who have been named CSCAA All-American Scholars
• Coached 133 swimmers and divers who have been named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team
• Member of the ASCA Hall of Fame and Cal Athletic Hall of Fame