Forde: UConn Expected to Cut Men’s Swimming Tomorrow, Other Sports Also At-Risk

The University of Connecticut will be cutting men’s swimming tomorrow, according to a tweet from Sports Illustrated reporter Pat Forde.

Other sports at the Division I school are also expected to be on the chopping block, as athletic director David Benedict will be presenting the department’s budget proposal tomorrow, June 24.

“News: I’m told UConn is cutting men’s swimming,” reads Forde’s tweet. “Other sports likely. School set to announce cuts tomorrow.”

Other sources have told SwimSwam that the student-athletes were told that they will be able to continue training at the school for the next year under scholarship, but with no promise of any meets, due to the late timing of the announcement.

Last week, SwimSwam’s Torrey Hart wrote about the possibility of program cuts and the long-term fate of UConn athletics. The school’s athletic department reportedly must slash $10 million from its budget over the next three years. SwimSwam’s Braden Keith also wrote about the potential athletics cuts in May after the school said it would have to slim down financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting revenue.

UConn shuttering the men’s swimming & diving program mirrors the closure of East Carolina’s men’s and women’s teams in May to meet a shrinking budget. Both schools are part of the American Athletic Conference; last year, the ECU men won the AAC crown while the women finished fourth of six teams; UConn’s men were fourth of four men’s teams, and their women were sixth of six women’s programs. UConn is scheduled to join the Big East next year, which leaves the AAC with just 2 men’s teams regardless.

A member of the UConn swim team told SwimSwam last week that the program also has $500,000 in pledges from an undisclosed number of alumni — there is also a GoFundMe set up called “Protect the Program – UConn Swimming & Diving” with just over $2,200 donated.

An article in the Hartford Courant on Tuesday touted the fundraising efforts of tennis, track & field, and golf programs in an effort to save their programs, but omitted any mention of swimming. The track & field program raised $1.6 million in pledges, men’s golf has around $270,000 for next year and nearly $900,000 across the next 5 years, and the tennis program has raised up to $300,000.

The timing of the cut, already near the end of June, leaves athletes in a challenging position, as the possibility of transferring, especially transferring and receiving any scholarships, will be a tough sell at this late stage of the recruiting cycle for the fall of 2020.

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Drew Hinckley
3 years ago

This is so sad 🙁 my heart goes out to all the swimmers affected

GoBulldogs
3 years ago

In this upcoming year when travel will most likely have to be limited, and the possibility of min. meets, as well as not sure if or when winter sports can start (maybe Jan. 1st as some colleges have already announced), plus if im not mistaken the program, men’s and women’s run together? Same head coach and staff? What is the cost saving really look like to just cut the mens program? If this is the case wouldn’t it make more sense to just have a mens swim team but not offer athletic scholarships? Carry 20 full tuition athletes for income to the school? I do not want to see any swim programs cut, and I can see the challenges that… Read more »

deepsouth
Reply to  GoBulldogs
3 years ago

Would assume it’s dollars related but also Title IX related as they are making decisions on cutting other sports too.

NLJB
3 years ago

Unfortunately, there will be more swim programs over time. The next 5 years do not look good financially, so many larger schools will need to make decisions like this. I think even D3 is in trouble especially if their enrollments drop substantially.

Byron A Haflich
3 years ago

My suggestion to future collegiate swimmers with D1itis is to pick institutions without football programs or go D3.

Interesting
Reply to  Byron A Haflich
3 years ago

Or NAIA, they’re not cutting programs either

Worst decision.
3 years ago

My heart is broken. UCONN football sucks and they keep it?

dude
3 years ago

Sad to see uconn cut Olympic sports for the sake of saving a sport that only disappoints; football.

B1G Daddy
3 years ago

My heart goes out to the senior class. Kyle Dunlap, Joey Homan, Rowan King, Bill Mudlaff, Josh Wroblewski. They’re trapped in that no-man’s land, too close to graduation to transfer without their diploma yet still carrying a year of eligibility. It’s likely each has swum their final college race.

I’ve heard speculation that some rising juniors may redshirt this year to gauge where to go. Somebody is going to get a GEM in Emils Jurcik. He’s a 1:45 IM’er that has gotten better every year and projects as a 1:44/1:36 200 Free type before he’s done.

Gavin Moak becomes a really interesting guy in the transfer pool. A 15:07 miler that dropped considerably as a freshman. On his improvement… Read more »

swimgeek
Reply to  B1G Daddy
3 years ago

Well said – thanks for their stories

David Robert
Reply to  B1G Daddy
3 years ago

Tremendous, Thank you. I captained UConn’s 84-85 men’s swim team that touched out Syracuse for 2nd place in the 400 free relay to finish 3rd at the Big East, the top finish ever in that conference. With almost no scholarships. Ahead of Syracuse & St Johns, which has lots more aid. Pete McDevitt was robbed of Coach of the Meet honors that year. Swimming is about heart, perseverance, teamwork and hours and hours in the pool, a lot of which occur before 7:30 am. UConn Athletics will never receive another dime from me. Good Luck Coach Maiello and women’s swimming.

Pvdh
3 years ago

Normally I laugh at the people saying football should be cut, but this time it’s actually true
https://www.si.com/.amp/college/2020/05/26/uconn-football-sports-cuts

This is the dumbest athletic department I’ve ever seen. Needs a top down reconstructing for gross incompetence.
Football ran at a 13.3 million in 2019…

WCNJCTNY
Reply to  Pvdh
3 years ago

The incentives they doled out to Edsall are unreal. Swim coaches should try for the same! First point scored at a dual meet ($1000 bonus). Leading the meet after the 500 Free ($2000 bonus). Finishing in the top 6 out of 8 teams in the conference ($5,000 bonus). Better percentage of best times swum in a dual meet ($2200). Again, that athletic leadership has to go!

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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