The University of Cincinnati has withdrawn from its scheduled dual meet against West Virginia scheduled for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning in Morgantown, West Virginia. The meet was scheduled to be the teams’ second as Big 12 opponents after splitting the victories last season in a two-day affair hosted by Cincinnati. There, the Bearcats won the women’s meet 241-112 and the Mountaineers won the men’s meet 162-191.
West Virginia posted the news of the cancellation on their Instagram page, with assistant coach Sydney Pickrem calling it a “huge disappointment for our swimmers” on her story, adding “Let’s continue to build this sport & always strive to achieve the highest level, especially when we RACE.”
Individuals close to the West Virginia program are telling SwimSwam that Cincinnati forfeited the meet because of a dispute over whether to wear technical racing suits. West Virginia wanted to wear the suits and Cincinnati did not, and felt that this would put them at a disadvantage.
Neither coaching staff took the opportunity to dispute that narrative.
Cincinnati head coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle is currently the president of the Board of Directors of the Collegiate Swimming & Diving Coaches’ Association of America (CSCAA)
Historically, collegiate dual meets have been raced almost-exclusively in ‘practice suits,’ with tech suits reserved for championship meets and mid-season invitationals. More recently, however, teams have taken to wearing their fast-suits for every meet as a way to more specifically prepare for the racing that will take place in those championships. That includes the Arizona State Sun Devils, who used the tactic en route to last year’s NCAA Men’s Championship in swimming & diving.
These suits improve times by reducing drag, providing muscle compression, and allowing athletes to maintain a better posture in the water.
West Virginia’s official Instagram account “liked” a comment by program alum Logan McFadden saying that “Somebody got scared and doesn’t want to come to town anymore.”
At last year’s Big 12 Championship meet, Cincinnati’s first in the conference, the Bearcats finished ahead of West Virginia in both meets. On the women’s side, Cincinnati was 4th with 918.50 points and West Virginia was 6th with 699 points. On the men’s side, Cincinnati was 4th with 1285.50 points and West Virginia was 5th with 1138.50 points.
Cincinnati wore tech suits on media day.
..and I suggest you let that one marinate
So? You think they raced in them on *media day*?
Why is this pinned?
Spite
This couldn’t have been resolved with a round of Rock-Paper-Scissors, dice, or a coin-toss?
Based on the reaction this story has gotten, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say this might be the last time we see someone cancel a meet due to suits. Perhaps this was something that needed to happen.
When you can cancel a dual meet on whim like this you are essentially labeling your program as a glorified Intramural team.
Imagine if two Power 4 football teams cancelled a game over the helmets they’re wearing…
Congratulations on your softness!
This has more to do with drama between two coaches that have a sour dual meet history.
MacDonald previously at Xavier (Cincinnati OH) since 2006
VS
DiSalle (UC) since around 2009
Ok, now I’m back on board! Love some history behind some coach squabbles!
It’s too bad. Both coaches are good people and have done a great job with their kids. Knowing what I know though, I have to side with Mandy and Cincinnati, though.
The collegiate swimmers are not “kids,” nor is this about who’s coaches “side” to be on. NCAA Division I swimming exists for the development of young adult student athletes, promotion of the sports program and University. The decision to cancel was obviously made with none of those considerations in mind. What about the side of the student athlete? The desire to improve and grow this sport? The supporters and boosters of these programs? You can’t be doing a “great job” when this is the end result of your decision making priorities. Remember a few years back when there were no opportunities to swim because of Covid, good coaches would have killed to find competitive swims for their athletes. Now they… Read more »
I see a Cynor used to be on the roster at UC. This wouldn’t have anything to do with your negative connotation towards the program?
Negative connotation toward the “program”? The poor nature of the coaching decision stands on its own. When you can’t defend the decision, don’t resort to ad hominem attacks.
I have to disagree. MacDonald allowed the Cincinnati swimmers to suit up a few years back in their dual meet and didn’t throw a fit. Seems like a double standard.
“Knowing what I know….” What a useless, incomplete argument.
What is it that you ‘know.?’
And it better be really good because her position seems to be well in the minority, and as best I can see she’s been unwilling to respond and explain her position in public.
DiSalle got there in 2011 as an assistant, MacDonald is a great coach and did great things with XU!
Lol. Really 😂
Absolutely ridiculous! Just off the phone with my sister and turns out the coaches put in a lot of hard work in making the event lineup perfect so UC’s best swimmers would be screwed. All this hard work the coaches put in for nothing! Now my nephew can’t show all the hard work he put in this season. Shame on you UC coaches! Put in more work next time!
I feel like you don’t really understand what’s happening lol
What is happening? Sorry I am confused about what the argument is over?
Has Mandy resigned her CSCAA position in shame yet?
https://swimswam.com/cscaa-board-not-impacted-by-teri-mckeever-accusations-investigation/
Do you think the word “shame” exists in this organization’s vocabulary?
What I don’t get is that if your UC and show up wearing practice suits and win, you can brag about that! Or if you lose you can always just say “well we were only wearing practice suits”
It was a win/win scenario and they blew it
That would have been a great way to approach it. From win-win to lose-lose.