Marshall board strikes to discontinue girls’s swimming and diving program

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — The Marshall University Board of Governors moved Tuesday to discontinue the college’s girls’s swimming and diving program.

The choice was made following a special virtual meeting the place members heard from Marshall Athletic Director Gerald Harrison who really helpful the transfer. All board members voted in favor of the choice.

Harrison stated throughout his presentation that this system operates on an $819,000 annual funds and its amenities don’t at the moment meet NCAA competitors requirements. He additionally stated the athletic division couldn’t commit the funding wanted to make the structural upgrades and maintain this system.

“Today’s recommendation does not erase past accomplishments. These women are forever a part of the Herd,” Harrison stated. “Their achievements will be honored and celebrated.

“This is not a recommendation I bring lightly,” he continued. “It has caused pain across Herd Nation and most importantly, among our student-athletes. That matters to me and it weighs heavily on me, but leadership requires us to balance honoring our past while protecting our future.”

President Brad D. Smith stated the pool, which had not been up to date since 2002, may proceed to serve the group and native excessive colleges who use it for competitions.

The minimize was first reported by Sports Illustrated reporter Pat Forde on Friday. Forde stated the workforce was knowledgeable final week of the choice, which might develop into efficient following the top of its season.

The workforce at the moment has a 4-1 report and is making ready to compete within the American Athletic Conference championships this week in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Both Harrison and Smith stated the timing of the choice – when the workforce is about to compete in a convention championship – got here with the spring switch portal window in thoughts.

“This timing was driven by responsibility, not avoidance,” Smith stated. “The NCAA transfer portal operates on a defined time window. We’ve studied other universities who’ve made these decisions and when we reached out to them, the lesson was ‘do not rob the student-athlete of all the options they should have available to them.’”

Harrison stated Tuesday that at the least 17 of the athletes on this system’s roster have already entered the switch portal. Those who select to go away the college may have help navigating the portal and people who keep will proceed to be coated by scholarships.

Following Forde’s report final week, Marshall Athletics issued a press release saying it had been endeavor a “comprehensive review of all programs to support a sustainable future.”

To be a Division I member, the NCAA requires FBS schools to sponsor a minimal of 16 sports activities, together with a minimal of six all-male or co-ed groups and a minimal of eight all-female groups.

Marshall at the moment has 16 complete groups listed on its web site, together with 9 all-female sports activities.

Harrison on Tuesday additionally moved to advocate stunt – a sport derived from cheerleading – to interchange the swimming and diving program.

He stated the transfer would save a projected $2.6 million over the primary three years with low start-up prices whereas additionally maintaining the college compliant with NCAA necessities.

Smith stated a stunt program of the identical measurement because the swimming and diving program would value about $330,000 per 12 months.

A decision including this system was additionally handed with out objection.