Showdown Today for Fresno State’s Women’s Team

By Tara C. Brady

FRESNO, Calif., April 30. TODAY is the day when the fate of the Fresno State women's swimming team and men's soccer team will be decided.

Both teams were among four (three men's, one women's)cut by the administration a month ago. Since the swim team was without a full-time coach, it was slow in organizing to fight the cut.

Fortunately, the men's soccer team organized quickly, but was told by the school's administration that due to Title IX, it could not be reinstated unless the women's swim team were also reinstated. Thus the fate of the two teams became inextricably entwined.

(In the last decade-plus, Fresno State has produced some outstanding swimmers, including NCAA Div. I point-scorers. If you're wondering why the women's team was cut and not the men's, there is no anomaly: the men's team was axed in 1993.)

A spokeswoman for the FSU swim told SwimInfo: "We are in the final 24-hour period of Phase I to reinstate our programs; Please announce and encourage individuals, businesses and philanthropists-at-large to help save our sports.

"The Valley Foundation is scheduled to meet with the Athletic Administrative Committee at noon today in the FSU Athletic Department Offices. We welcome all media
to gather updates and interview our coaches and athletes on-site at our 24-hr DRIVE (Fresno Indoor Soccer, near the intersection of Cedar and Shaw).

"Team members from men's Soccer, and women's Swimming & Diving teams will be present.

The Valley Foundation is raffling a 1973 Corvette to raise funds. Raffle tickets are $10 each.

For further information contact:
Dave Chesler (559) 278-4226 or
Mario Sanchez (559) 278-5435

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