Flash! James Madison Men Next on Chopping Block

By Jason Marsteller

PHOENIX, Arizona, September 29. ACCORDING to an official release by the James Madison University Board of Visitors, James Madison will be eliminating men’s swimming and diving, along with nine other sports (six men’s and three women’s). The decision came in the wake of a massive non-compliance on Division I campus within the Title IX constraints.

JMU’s approximate enrollment of 15,000 has a 61-39 percent female-to-male ratio, while athletics has a 50.7-49.3 percent female-to-male ratio.

In its release, JMU stated that the cuts will take effect July 1, 2007. Similar to the Rutgers situation, this gives the swimming community time to halt this drastic decision that will stamp out the hopes and dreams of 144 student-athletes, three full-time coaches and eight part-time coaches.

According to the release:

“Access to sports-medicine and academic-advising programs also will be available to them. Any affected student-athletes who decide to transfer to another program will be provided with full assistance regarding the transfer process. Affected coaches will receive severance packages appropriate to the university's policies and procedures. All of the financial resources recovered from the implementation of this plan will be redirected to provide the full complement of NCAA scholarships for women's golf, tennis and swimming. Partial scholarship funding will return to men's golf and tennis, with a plan to enhance to full funding by 2011.”

Swimming World Magazine and SwimmingWorldMagazine.com will continue to work on this breaking story.

SwimmingWorldMagazine.com wants your thoughts on this cut. Please contact our editor Jason Marsteller with your e-mails. Also, if you want others to know your opinion, please give us permission to publish them within your e-mail as well as your first name and last initial.

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