Division II Saginaw Valley State Adds Swim Programs to Varsity Roster

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Michigan, May 24. SAGINAW Valley State University director of athletics Mike Watson announced the addition of women's and men's swimming and diving to varsity status. The women's program will begin NCAA Division II varsity competition in the 2014-15 academic year, and the men's program will be ready for NCAA Division II varsity competition in the 2015-16 academic year.

“The University and our department have carefully considered the addition of swimming to varsity status, and we feel the time is right to make this move,” said Watson. “With the renovations that were made a few years ago to the Gerstacker Regional Aquatics Center, this move only made sense. This addition will also serve as a great benefit to the university in general in attracting prospective students.”

A national coaching search will commence immediately for the swimming and diving programs in preparation for its inaugural season in 2014-15. The women's swimming and diving program will receive four full scholarships of the possible 8.1 that is allowed by NCAA Division II during its first season.

Eight other members of SVSU's conference, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, currently offer swimming and diving. SVSU last added varsity sports in 1995 when the men's and women's soccer teams began intercollegiate competition.

The addition of both swimming and diving programs will bring the total number of Saginaw Valley State University varsity teams to 19 (10 women's, 9 men's).

Read more at: Saginaw Valley State Athletics

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