Talk about swimming getting cut

[charlestondxman]

There is talk today that the swimming program is getting cut.

http://swimswam.com/college-charleston- ... g-program/

[hoopsfan12321]

There is a petition going around to try to save the program.
https://www.change.org/p/the-college-of ... ving-teams

[Ink Monkey]

saw this story on post and courier

sounds like a push to get lacrosse while getting rid of an old pool... sad


http://www.postandcourier.com/article/2 ... n-jeopardy

[charlestondxman]

IMO, they could go to W.L. Stephens in West Ashley and swim there for their meets if no pool is built at CofC. SC only has two D1 swim teams.

[GoCougsGo]

And here is the official notice:

November 7, 2014



Statement from the Athletics Director Joe Hull



It is with great regret that I announce that the College of Charleston will no longer have NCAA Division I men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs after the 2014-15 season. Additionally, the 40-year-old Stern Center pool will close after the spring 2015 semester.



The worst thing I have to do as an athletics director is to tell student-athletes they will no longer be able to compete for their current university.



We will honor all scholarship commitments to our swimming and diving student-athletes. If they choose to transfer to another school, we will grant a release, which will enable them to compete during the 2015-16 season (there is no requirement that student-athletes sit out a year if they transfer).



This decision was made following a comprehensive, year-long study. The pool, which was built in 1974-75 and updated in 2000, is in poor condition and requires maintenance nearly weekly. Just replacing the specialized HVAC system would cost $1.5 million. It was concluded that the financial costs to maintain and repair the facilities were too much to overcome.



The athletics department and College administration will provide access to recreational and competitive swimming. The College is currently working with the City of Charleston to use its facilities, one of which is in downtown Charleston. This downtown pool is currently used by the city’s Southern Marlins Racing Team (SMRT), which is affiliated with USA Swimming, and is home to a U.S. Master’s swimming team.



Unfortunately, the cutting of the NCAA Division I swimming and diving programs is part of the financial realities that are being faced by athletics departments across the country. These financial challenges could increase in the future with the new NCAA governance structure.



Ending our programs was not a decision we took lightly, and we understand the impact to our student-athletes and coaches.



I would like to thank Interim Head Coach Bora Yatagan for the work he has done at the College of Charleston. I would also like to thank the current and former student-athletes who have been a part of the 40-year swimming and diving history at the College of Charleston. They have represented the best values of collegiate athletics and have, season after season, done the College proud.





Sincerely,



Joe Hull

Athletics Director, College of Charleston

[swampcougar1]

This is sad but the bottom line is money. The only hope at this point is a grass roots drive to raise the money needed to fix things.

[GoCougsGo]

I don't think there is any amount of money that will be able to save swimming. They need a cool $5 million to build a new facility and we know that isn't going to happen. It is very sad and my heart goes out to the student athletes and alumni but there is no other choice.

[charlestondxman]

More likely that lacrosse will be added. Can play at Patriots Point on the soccer fields, and a lot of CAA teams already have the sport.

[CofCSwimming]

The biggest issue is that the administration will not even consider letting the team train in other locations around Charleston. Last winter the team trained at Danny Jones in North Charleston during Christmas break and had no problems with the condition of the pool. There are pools in Mount Pleasant and North Charleston that are just as nice, if not better than the Stern Center pool. This would allow the College to build their offices while still allowing the athletes to train and compete. It seems like at least allowing this for the athletes already in the program would be a compromise that is possible, instead of just letting them know that they have one semester to transfer or give up on their swimming career.

Many schools have cut their swim programs, but very few have done it with as little class as College of Charleston. The lack of notice and lack of respect by the Athletic Department towards the swimmers who are representing their school at competition every weekend, working their hardest in the pool 20 hours every week, and still going to class, disgusts me.

I swam for four years on the swim team and even served as captain my senior year, and not once did I ever feel that anyone on our swim team was valued by the administration. But I did not let that affect my time at the college because I had the support of my team and my coaches, who were more like a family to me than anyone who has not experienced collegiate sports can understand.

Losing the swimming program and the aquatics complex is not only a loss to the College of Charleston community, but to the entire state of South Carolina, there is now only 1 Division 1 swim program in a state that has some of the best up and coming age group swim programs in the country.

[Edelmira Hiott]

Sounds interesting, I'll check it out. Thanks for the info.