Collegiate swimmers allege abusive treatment by Marymount University coach, school denies wrongdoing

ARLINGTON, Va. — Several former swimmers and one current swimmer at Marymount University in Arlington have come forward with allegations of abusive behavior by their head coach, claiming the school failed to take appropriate action despite formal complaints.

The swimmers, who spoke to WUSA9 on condition of anonymity, described what they call a "dangerous and toxic environment" created by head coach Chris Natoli since he took over the program in 2021.

"I've been through a history of tough coaches. I've been on several swim teams with several different coaches at every different level," one swimmer said. "None of them would call us 'worthless, clueless f**king students, retarded.'" 

The swimmers drew a clear line between demanding coaching and what they experienced.

"Tough coaching is pushing you to the best of your ability, pushing you to limits you didn't think you could go," another team member explained. "Tough coaching isn't swearing at you and making somebody quit on the spot."

In October, attorneys representing six Marymount swimmers sent a detailed letter to school administrators outlining various allegations against Natoli. The letter, obtained by WUSA9, described a "culture of fear, anxiety, and isolation" within the swimming program. According to the document, Natoli allegedly "threw whiteboard markers" at one swimmer and became "enraged and slammed his hands on his desk" in another incident. Multiple swimmers also claimed Natoli followed "a pattern of forcing athletes to continue competing against doctors' orders."

In one particularly troubling allegation, the coach reportedly forced a team member to practice while suffering from a heart issue.

"He created this culture of, if you miss, you're a (expletive)," one swimmer said. 

Another described the environment as "militaristic slavery."

The attorneys' letter demanded a formal investigation by Marymount University. WUSA9 has been unable to reach Natoli for comment regarding these allegations.

Marymount University, a Catholic institution in Arlington, released the following statement:

 "Marymount University is committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for all students. We take all allegations of misconduct seriously and understand the concerns they raise. The university follows a thorough, impartial review process in accordance with university policies, and after a comprehensive review found no merit to the allegations. An independent third-party investigation reached the same conclusion, and the coach remains in good standing with the university. Out of respect for all parties involved, we will not comment further on individual cases beyond affirming our commitment to a thorough and fair process."

Despite the complaints, Natoli remains the head swimming coach at Marymount University. In February, he led the team to its third consecutive conference championship.

The situation at Marymount reflects broader concerns about coaching behavior in collegiate athletics, said Dr. Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu, a former track star on the Ghana national team who now serves as a Stanford professor and founder of the Sports Equity Lab.

"Is resilience still a learning objective of sport? Yes, absolutely,” she said. “Do you need some level of stress in order to become resilient? Absolutely. But when it becomes too much... that line is increasingly becoming clear with our science."

In March, Dr. Tuakli-Wosornu published research finding that approximately one in five college athletes report having been abused by their coaches. In the study abuse was defined as yelling, taunts, insults and physical violence.

"I don't think that we need to walk around in bubble wrap, but we also need to acknowledge the fact that some of those old myths, myths that have pervaded sport since time of memoriam ... are not healthy and do cause short term, medium term, and long term harm," Tuakli-Wosornu said.

When asked about criticisms that today's athletes might be too sensitive to coaching pressure, one swimmer responded by describing "the anxiety I feel walking onto that pool deck."

The impact on the team has been significant. Of the four swimmers interviewed by WUSA9, one has since graduated, another transferred to a different school, and a third quit swimming entirely. Only one remains on the team.