Long Island University (LIU) announced Monday that it is adding men’s swimming as a varsity sport starting in the fall of 2020.
LIU, appropriately nicknamed the Sharks, will launch the program this fall and compete in Division I. The Sharks have a women’s swimming team that competes in the Northeast Conference. Women’s swimming coach Matthew Donovan will take over the men’s team as well.
“We are truly excited to expand our athletic department and create another great opportunity for our exceptional student-athletes,” LIU athletics director William E. Martinov said in a university statement. “We have a rich history of success with our women’s program, and we look forward to continuing that tradition of excellence with our men’s program. We are proud to have Coach Donovan lead the men’s program, after his proven record of winning and development of our student-athletes during the past four seasons. We look forward to continued success in the pool, in the classroom, and in the community.”
LIU men’s swimming is part of a spate of recent additions from the university, which last week announced the creation of a men’s hockey program. It also added women’s gymnastics in March. It is up to 32 athletics teams across its two campuses.
According to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), LIU is the 10th institution to add men’s swimming starting in the fall of 2020.
“Dr. Martinov, President [Kimberly] Cline and Lloyd Ribner [Deputy Director of Athletics] deserve a lot of credit for their vision and leadership,” said Clark Campbell, CSCAA President and Head Women’s Coach at Kansas University. “Coach Donovan has built a successful program the university can be proud of and the addition of a men’s team enhances that.”
“This is a great day for Long Island University, Shark Nation, and especially the sport of men’s swimming!” Donovan said. “I want to thank Dr. Bill Martinov and Lloyd Ribner for all of the hard work that they did to get us to this day and for giving me the honor to lead this new Division I program. I am confident that we can build on the great success we already have here in the water with the women’s team, and bring a highly successful men’s Division I program to the region.”
Yay!! Good news for once!!