Analyzing the Options For a New Site For the 2021 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

With the University of Iowa cutting its swimming and diving program on Friday, effective after the 2020-21 season, questions have surrounded the status of the 2021 NCAA men’s swimming and diving championships which are supposed to take place in Iowa City in March, assuming there is still a winter sports season.

That decision to bring NCAAs to Iowa was made in the spring of 2017 but no one could have foreseen a global pandemic holding the season hostage nor the University of Iowa cutting its swim team that has been around for more than 100 yearsSwimming World has called for the 2021 Men’s NCAAs to be stripped from Iowa City and to be placed in a location where swimming and diving is supported.

“We immediately, one of the things we did was notify the NCAA, so they have our notification and they have not finalized anything so let’s see what their decision is,” Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta said regarding the scheduled 2021 NCAA championships in Iowa City.

Based on Barta’s comments, the 2021 NCAA meet may be moving to a new location. There are a lot of factors that still need to be considered, first and foremost being the status of the 2020-21 winter sports season. The fall sports season has been wiped away for a lot of Division I conferences and some like the Pac-12 won’t have any sports to participate in until January 1, leaving just a short time to prepare for an NCAAs if they are to happen in March.

The second (and third) outstanding question is which city can host the NCAA meet on such short notice, and is it financially feasible to move the meet at such late notice?

Assuming that the powers that be can move the site of the meet, let’s look at some viable options for where the 2021 NCAA men’s meet can be held.

Indianapolis

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Last NCAAs hosted: 2019 (Division II), 2018 (Division III), 2017 (Division I)

“The Nat” has always been a spectacular host for any big swim meet over the years as it was supposed to host the 2020 men’s meet before it was canceled due to COVID-19. In the last ten years, the men’s NCAA meet has found its way to Indianapolis twice, in 2013 and 2017, so it is only fitting that it would come back four years later in 2021.

Indianapolis has hosted every big swim meet imaginable and the atmosphere in the facility is unlike any other. Indianapolis has a rich tradition of great swimming in the city and in the state, so Indiana knows how to show up for big meets, and it would be a great host for the 2021 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships. Division II & III do not have a set location for next year’s NCAAs but often Indianapolis hosts one of the two meets, so if the facility is already booked, then the NCAA would have to look elsewhere.

Atlanta

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Last NCAAs hosted: 2016

Atlanta has been a well-used facility since the 1996 Olympic Games, as the Georgia Tech pool has hosted the NCAAs in 2006 and 2016, and has also hosted the U.S. Open and USA Swimming Pro Series. It is a fast pool and is a great location – Atlanta is an easy direct flight destination. The last time men’s NCAAs were in Atlanta, four U.S. Open records fell on one night, and another six records fell in the preceding three days. That likely had something to do with the fact that it was the Olympic year and the men at the meet were hyped and ready to race, but in 2006 seven NCAA records fell so Georgia Tech is definitely a fast pool.

Georgia Tech has an ample amount of deck space and has the perfect amount of seating to host all the fans that come to the meet.

Minneapolis

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Last NCAAs hosted: 2018

In the last two decades, Minnesota has hosted the men’s NCAA meet in 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2018, as well as the women’s meet in 2014. Minnesota has also hosted a number of Pro Series meets as well as Junior Nationals and the U.S. Open so it is no stranger to hosting big meets. And every year the men’s meet comes to the Twin Cities, the record books need to be on high alert. In 2018 alone, seven records fell at those championships with generation-breaking records happening in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and 100 breaststroke.

With seating on both sides of the facility, it fills up fast and it can give a very intense atmosphere. Minnesota’s aquatic center has been around for 30 years but it is still one of the premier permanent pools in the United States, and would certainly be able to host a big championship meet.

Austin

2019 men's ncaa swimming championships

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Last NCAAs hosted: 2019

The only thing stopping the NCAA meet from coming back to Austin would likely be that that is where the meet last was in 2019. Although one can argue that it might give Texas an advantage in its home pool, the fact is that the last three times the meet was in Austin, the Longhorns finished in second behind Cal in 2019 and 2014, and behind Auburn in 2003. Austin is a fan favorite for big meets, as the facility has hosted numerous Pro Series stops and is attuned to hosting big meets, even hosting the Olympic Trials in 1988.

Greensboro

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Last NCAAs hosted: 2019 (Division III), 2018 (Division II), 2015 (Division I Women’s)

Greensboro might make the most sense from a financial standpoint since the 2021 women’s division I NCAAs are already there. It would be better for the many co-ed programs for travel expenses, and the aquatic center has hosted a number of big meets from US Nationals, ACCs and YMCA Nationals. It has never hosted the men’s NCAA swimming championships and that might be its biggest crutch.

Other Pools to Consider:

Seattle (last hosted in 2012)

Ohio State (last hosted in 2010)

Texas A&M (last hosted in 2009)

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Sid Frisco
Sid Frisco
3 years ago

Anywhere but Iowa.

NC Fan
NC Fan
3 years ago

I think you nailed it with your last point. Every NCAA athletic program in the country is taking a financial hit this year so IF we get to have championships anything to cut costs will be well received. Even separate programs could save on hauling training gear twice. And while I would normally say you need a place the size of the Nat for Men’s NCAAs (though Iowa wasn’t), Greensboro’s 2000 seats would be plenty in what is sure to be a lower attended event. A back-to-back in Greensboro makes financial sense and rewards a swim crazy state (yes, I realize ECU got cut, but State will be competitive and UNC is on the rise and Va Tech and Virginia aren’t far away).

Greg
Greg
3 years ago

I can almost guarantee spectators won’t be allowed, unless something changes dramatically. So having good spectator capacity and seating shouldn’t matter in the decision making process. This would seem to tilt things towards Greensboro.

LFC swammer
LFC swammer
3 years ago

The University of Wisconsin Madison has a beautiful new faculty opening next month.

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