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The Daily OrangeSyracuse to cut swimming and diving teams
Women's ice hockey likely replacement in 2008
By Matt Gelb
Posted: 6/5/07, 12:50 AM EST Section: Sports
MAY 31 10:01 P.M. - Syracuse plans to cut its men's and women's swimming teams following next season, multiple sources confirmed Thursday.
"It came as a shock to everyone," rising junior Catrina Roth said. "At first we were kind of upset because we thought our coach knew about it, but in reality he hadn't."
The Post-Standard first reported of the athletic department's decision in Thursday's editions, quoting anonymous sources. Syracuse athletics has yet to release an official announcement.
The Post-Standard also reported women's ice hockey will replace the swimming teams, beginning as early as winter 2008.
It is the first time in 10 years Syracuse is eliminating a Division I sport. In spring 1997, Syracuse announced it was cutting men's wrestling and gymnastics. The wrestling program was not officially removed until after the 2000-01 season.
Roth found out about her team's disbandment through an e-mail from a teammate early Thursday morning. Roth said every member of the program first heard news of the cuts through the Post-Standard story.
"I know my assistant coach was crying when she was talking to people," Roth said. "They had no idea."
The Syracuse athletics department released a statement from Director of Athletics Daryl Gross neither confirming nor denying the reports.
"It's premature to talk about it right now," Gross said in the statement. "There are many things in the athletic department's long-term viability that have been researched and discussed at length, and we'll discuss those things at the appropriate time."
Syracuse will honor current scholarships and immediately release any swimmer requesting a leave from scholarship, Roth said. But because swimmers are just now hearing of the news it will be harder to transfer and still receive scholarship money after the May 16 signing deadline.
"The younger kids can transfer and still have like two years," Roth said. "The fact that we're going into our junior year and missed the signing deadline, even if we get an immediate release that they offered, no schools are going to have any money left to offer. They're already done signing their kids."
"It came as a shock to everyone," rising junior Catrina Roth said. "At first we were kind of upset because we thought our coach knew about it, but in reality he hadn't."
The Post-Standard first reported of the athletic department's decision in Thursday's editions, quoting anonymous sources. Syracuse athletics has yet to release an official announcement.
The Post-Standard also reported women's ice hockey will replace the swimming teams, beginning as early as winter 2008.
It is the first time in 10 years Syracuse is eliminating a Division I sport. In spring 1997, Syracuse announced it was cutting men's wrestling and gymnastics. The wrestling program was not officially removed until after the 2000-01 season.
Roth found out about her team's disbandment through an e-mail from a teammate early Thursday morning. Roth said every member of the program first heard news of the cuts through the Post-Standard story.
"I know my assistant coach was crying when she was talking to people," Roth said. "They had no idea."
The Syracuse athletics department released a statement from Director of Athletics Daryl Gross neither confirming nor denying the reports.
"It's premature to talk about it right now," Gross said in the statement. "There are many things in the athletic department's long-term viability that have been researched and discussed at length, and we'll discuss those things at the appropriate time."
Syracuse will honor current scholarships and immediately release any swimmer requesting a leave from scholarship, Roth said. But because swimmers are just now hearing of the news it will be harder to transfer and still receive scholarship money after the May 16 signing deadline.
"The younger kids can transfer and still have like two years," Roth said. "The fact that we're going into our junior year and missed the signing deadline, even if we get an immediate release that they offered, no schools are going to have any money left to offer. They're already done signing their kids."
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