U. Mass. Swimming Spared, Seven Other Teams Are Axed
By Phillip Whitten
AMHERST, Mass., March 15. THE University of Massachusetts' men's and women's swimming teams have been reprieved, reports Minuteman head coach, Russ Yarworth.
The two swim teams were among nine athletic squads the University had indicated would be cut last month, though a University spokesman had emphasized at the time that a final decision had not yet been made.
Swimming World's legal defense team had been gearing up for a battle when it was learned last week that the University was reconsidering its tentative decision on the swim team, which had just won its conference championship.
Today, Coach Yarworth indicated the decision had been reversed.
Unfortunately, seven other sports apparently will be eliminated: men's and women's water polo, men's and women's gymnastics, men's tennis, women's volleyball, and men's indoor track, ostensibly due to budget concerns.
Over the years, U. Mass has been particularly strong in men's water polo and men's gymnastics, and the loss of these Olympic sports is a loss for the entire Olympic sport community. Ironically, just last week, U. Mass. had been singled out in U.S. News & World Report for its wide diversity of athletic offerings.