UTICA, N.Y. — Utica University President Laura Casamento announced on Tuesday, June 13, the institution’s decision to discontinue men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo and men’s tennis as varsity sports. In conjunction with the decision, a committee of trustees, staff, coaches, and student–athletes will formulate plans to repurpose the pool area as part of an extensive renovation of Clark Athletic Center to support the remainder of the athletics division.
Per a letter released by Casemento to the campus community, “The decision to discontinue these programs follows many years of thorough analysis, including in–depth consultation with Title IX experts, and is based on a combination of multiple
factors. The two principal factors that ultimately drove this decision are as follows.
- Continuously declining student interest – Despite considerable efforts and new recruitment strategies, and despite the growth of our athletics program as a whole, swimming and diving, water polo, and men’s tennis have not generated enrollment sufficient to routinely field competitive NCAA rosters. This is a trend that is not unique to Utica University, has spanned many years, and is reflective of decreasing participation in these sports at the high school and junior college levels, especially in the Northeast.
- High renovation costs – Continuation of aquatic sports at Utica would require major renovations to our 50–year–old pool that would necessitate an investment of several million dollars in addition to significant operating expenses for years to come. In the end, it became increasingly clear that the University cannot offer the kind of competitive experience to student–athletes in these four programs as we do for the more than 600 student–athletes who participate in our other 25 varsity sports. At the same time, it is incumbent upon us as an institution to steward our resources in a way that clearly reflects sustained student interest, making thoughtful investments that yield exceptional experiences for the greatest number of students.”
The elimination of the programs impacts approximately 15 student-athletes.
