The Lockhaven University Women’s Swim Team in Pennsylvania was told by the school’s athletic director in late January that there was a proposal to cut the team from the school’s athletic program.
They met with athletic director Tom Gioglio, who according to an athlete on the team, Doni Matrone, read off a prepared script and then refused to answer any questions about the proposed cut. The team was told that all of their questions would be answered with transparency and directed to the school’s president and vice president, Michael Florentino and Rodney Jenkins, who are in charge of the proposal.
Over the winter break however, Matrone claims that Jenkins canceled the team’s training trip and would not offer proper reasoning behind the decision. According to Matrone, there was no cost to the school for the trip; the athletes had funded the entire trip themselves. According to Matrone, Jenkins claimed after his original lack of response that it was due to financial restraints, and after being notified of the fact that it wouldn’t cost the school any money due to the fundraising, he told the athletes the trip was cancelled, “because I said so.”
In a later meeting with two athletes on the team including Matrone, Gioglio expressed his discontent with the fact that the information about the proposal to cut the team was released so early.
According to Matrone the men’s track team was proposed to be cut as well as part of the school’s proposal.
According to Matrone there is a financial crisis across all Pennsylvania State System Of Higher Education (PSSHE) schools because of gender equity, meaning they’re trying to allocate funds evenly to offer equal opportunity to both male and female athletes and students. Their reasoning for proposing to cut both women’s swimming and men’s track according to Matrone, stems from the above reasoning.
Matrone claims that parents have been getting in touch with Jenkins in order to express concern for cutting the teams, and showing their support in keeping the teams as part of the athletic program.
Swimmers are looking to spread the word over social media through the hashtag #SaveHaven
This is outrageous that they are cutting the program. If funding is a problem then we could raise money. I personally have a close family friend on the swim team , and I am not willing to let the program get cut.
I do not believe there is a lot of money being spent on a track and equipment that is there and a swimming pool?
why not cut the real financial drainer-football??????
No sport should be cut, including football, Carol. Please support all LHU student-athletes and coaches.
What a sad and pathetic administration ! If the trip was paid for by the swimmers, then the trip should have been available.
The administration is eyeing up that money from the trip for something else in the athletic department.
These athletes deserve better than the low class, dismissive responses by the LHU admin and hack athletic director. This must be doubly painful for Matrone who was also a solid swimmer on the Mansfield University team right before it was put in moratorium several years ago. This is all about $$ and politics, not Title IX. The radical right wingnut legislature in PA has kept the funding at all the school in the state system at 1996 levels despite 25K more students being served and inflation doubling costs. …Especially the smaller schools have been squeezed beyond belieif and these smaller schools are starting to crack and shed their sports programs. Its a dumpster fire. Really hard to watch as great… Read more »
Well stated…
Please help save this program. These young ladies are the leaders of tomorrow. I personally know this team and the coach and they are committed members to the community their college resides it. They have given swimming lessons to the young people in the community. They help with community events, these young ladies have had 60% of their team on the Dean’s list. They are positive influences on their peers and younger people. This is an injustice and this program is one of only a few at the is University for females. Where does Title IV come into effect? How can a program be cut that is not in dire straights economically? Please help save this program and let’s take… Read more »
Sad situation for swimming. We all hurt for these young ladies.
Because I said so is not acceptable as a response to a perfectly valid point. If the athletes are paying for their trip, why are they not able to go? The administration of this public school should be taken to task!
Trying to argue w football and basketball is a losing proposition. Even if they lose money they drive a lot of alumni interest and events. They aren’t going anywhere.
cancelling the trip is strange and makes me wonder what we don’t know about this situation.