Second Chances: UNCW Swimming & Diving’s Journey Post-Reinstatement

It has become tragically common to hear about swimming programs cut from universities – men’s swimming programs in particular. In May of this year, the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) seemed to be the next in line. The University-commissioned report on long-term sports program viability recommended the termination of men’s and women’s swimming and diving in addition to 3 other sports.

The swim team, however, was not ready to give up on their sport. With nowhere to turn but their community, the Aquahawks began a campaign to save their program, and so did members of the other endangered sports teams. Within just 2 weeks, on May 30 – exactly 6 months ago, UNCW Chancellor Gary Miller announced that, based on the overwhelming community response, no sports would be cut. But the fight was still far from over. The fiscal reasons for cutting the sports still persisted, but the university was willing to let the community show its financial support for the programs.

This put the swim team in a unique position. Ongoing support is more difficult to garner than one-time donations during a crisis like the one they faced in May. Dependent on the community for its survival, a team that was already involved in service sprang into action for the community that would be keeping their team going. “We are forever grateful for the community support we have received and we give back to the community as often as possible,” says Aquahawks co-captain Matt Byrd.

Byrd listed some ways that the team has been giving back to the community – it’s quite an impressive list and is only growing. They have volunteered at the Wrightsville Beach Clean Up, Red Cross Blood Drives, and Color Runs. They dedicated an open water swim to the “One Million Meters for Soren” movement to raise money and awareness for six-year-old Soren Cooper’s battle against Burkitt’s lymphoma. On Black Friday, they offered swim lessons so that parents could drop their kids off and shop unencumbered.

The team is also starting Seahawk Splash, an all-encompassing aquatics program catering to everyone from infants to seniors; novice to expert. Seahawk Splash will have a swim team for kids and a masters team for adults; it will also offer swimming lessons in addition to lifesaving and boating safety classes.

The team has done 943 hours of service during the first semester this year and plans to at least double that number by the end of the school year. With all they have accomplished in those first 100 hours, the community is already showing its appreciation in a multitude of ways. The team formed a “Dub Club,” an initiative of UNCW sports boosters which is being used by the reinstated teams to fundraise, and this club boasts 52 members and over $40,000 raised to date with $108,000 in total pledges.

Throughout the challenges the last six months have presented the team, the Aquahawks have shown their mettle not just in the community but also in the pool. Freshman Diver Allen Crosby has won 3 CAA Diver of the Week Awards, and juniors Valtteri Halonen and Hannah Stephenson have won CAA Swimmer of the Week honors four times and once, respectively. Recently, the team competed in the Patriot Invite. Led by 4 event winner (50 free, 100 back, 100 fly, 200 back) Valtteri Halonen, the Aquahawks placed second to host George Mason.

The team still needs community support in an ongoing way, and they have shown their dedication to giving back to their local community and the swimming community at large. Anyone can donate to support the hardworking swimmers at UNCW. Through the UNCW Seahawk Club’s Dub Club initiative any gifts specified towards the Swimming and Diving Dub Club will go directly to the team. Additionally, proceeds from UNCW Swimming and Diving purchases at Toad Hollow Athletics go to the team as well. Lastly, for up-to-date news about the Aquahawks and how you can contribute to their ongoing fundraising needs, please visit the UNCW Aquahawks website.