Swimming Rebounds, Takes the Lead in Oregon Voting
By Phillip Whitten
EUGENE, Oregon, November 1. AFTER falling some 23,000 voters behind Gymnastics, Swimming has surged back into the lead in voting on the University of Oregon web site. Voters are being asked which women's sport should be added to the University of Oregon athletic department offerings.
Meanwhile, Water Polo zoomed into second place. With almost 400,000 votes counted, Swimming holds a lead of about 3,000 over Water Polo and over 16,000 over Gymnastics.
The voting is taking place on
www.goducks.com
Here are the current tallies:
1. Swimming & Diving – 34.7% (137,242 votes)
2. Water Polo – 33.9% (134,221 votes)
3. Gymnastics – 30.5% (120,659 votes)
4. Lacrosse – 0.2% (877 votes)
5. Rowing – 0.2% (812 votes)
6. Ice Hockey – 0.2% (688 votes)
Reportedly, Rowing had been the original preference of the Athletic Department, but in light of the vote totals it seems unlikely that Rowing will be chosen.
The web site asks readers:
What current NCAA women's sport would you like Oregon to add?(No. of schools sponsoring sport in parenthesis)
Before our stories over the last two days, Gymnastics had taken a 23,000 vote lead. That has all turned around.
However, this is no time to become complacent. We are winning this vote, but we must keep the pressure on. If you care about the future of our sport, we need you to vote and encourage your friends to vote!
YOU can help create a new Women's Swimming and Diving program at Oregon by voting at the school's web site below.
You can help further by passing this article along to five friends and asking them to vote.