Concordia University Irvine Announces Discontinuation of Both Men & Women’s Swim and Dive Programs
In a zoom call to athletes earlier today, Concordia University Irvine announced the immediate discontinuation of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. Athletes on the zoom call were given a variety of reasons for the decision, including rising insurance costs as a result of the fires that tore through Southern California at the start of this year. Additionally, a $6.5 million deficit in the school’s budget was cited.
The decision came as a shock to the team, especially considering CUI recently signed new athletes to the team, including American River College transfer Mia Verwoest less than a week ago.
In the email sent to Verwoest, school officials said:
After a thorough evaluation and much consideration, the decision has ben made to discontinue the Swimming and Diving program, effective immediately. This was not an easy decision, and it reflects broader institutional priorities and challenges – not the value or potential of our incoming student athletes.
The timing of this decision eerily echoes that of the Cal Poly Mustangs, who were informed of their team discontinuation on the same day as a committed recruit visiting campus. The transfer portal for NCAA Division I athletics closed on Friday, April 25th, providing virtually no opportunity for members of the team to seek continuation of their athletic career elsewhere.
The Eagles are coming off of a successful PCSC Championships earlier this year, which saw the men finish fourth out of nine teams, and the women sixth out of 13 teams. At that meet, the highest finish for the women’s team came in the form of a silver medal in one-meter diving from Chloe Dobie, the first diving medal in program history. The highest men’s finish at the meet was a relay title in the 400 medley relay. Head coach Bert Bergen described the season as extremely rewarding as a result of senior leadership mixed with freshman enthusiasm.