In an era where more and more schools seem to be cutting swimming and diving programs every year, some good news for swimming at the collegiate level: Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, Washington announced in November that it will add both men’s and women’s swimming to its athletic department.
Trinity is a private Christian school that competes in the National Christian Colleges Athletic Association, or NCCAA. Trinity becomes the first NCCAA member in the Pacific Northwest to offer swimming as an intercollegiate sport.
Not only will Trinity swimmers be competing for a brand-new team, they’ll also be competing in a brand-new facility – the Snohomish County Aquatic Center is scheduled to open in January of 2014, featuring a ten-lane, 25 yard by 25 meter pool that the Trinity Eagles will practice and compete in. The team will also do some training and perhaps competitions at the Everett YMCA.
The College is still in the process of selecting a coaching staff to lead the inaugural season.
Trinity will now offer 7 sports with men’s and women’s programs in both. The school fields intercollegiate teams in cross country, golf, soccer, and track and field, and is now adding swimming and tennis. Trinity also has club crew programs.
Megan Jendrick, Ariana Kukors and Margaret Hoelzer are all living near Everett… here’s hoping they pick up one of them to show that new programs are feasible and can draw big names!
The head coach position is quarter time. I don’t imagine it is going to draw big name coaches.