The University of Nebraska Omaha announced on Friday that it will add men’s swimming and diving for the 2021-22 season.
The Mavericks will compete in Division I in the Summit League, which has four other members that sponsor men’s swimming and two affiliate members in the sport.
Todd Samland, who coaches the women’s program, will serve as the Director of Swimming and Diving, overseeing both squads.
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Omaha Athletics will add a men’s swimming & diving program to begin competition in 2021-22.
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“This is a great opportunity for local student-athletes to continue competing in swimming and diving at the highest level while remaining close to home,” said Trev Alberts, University of Nebraska Omaha’s Vice Chancellor of Athletics said in a university release. “Omaha will have the only men’s Division I swimming and diving program in the state, and we think we can build a team that will be competing for Summit League championships in the very near future.”
UNO has sponsored women’s swimming since 1997-98, with Samland in charge for the duration. The Mavericks won two individual and one relay championship at the NCAA Division II championships. It made the jump to Division I in 2013.
Samland will direct a staff of three assistants. Both teams will be based out of the H&K pool.
“This is an exciting time for Omaha Athletics and the Summit League,” said UNO Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “I extend my thanks to Vice Chancellor Alberts and Coach Samland for providing swimmers and divers across our state an opportunity to compete and receive an exceptional educational experience at our institution.”
“The excitement of starting a men’s program is the same as it was back in 1997 when the women’s team first began competing,” Samland said. “There are outstanding prospective student-athletes competing both locally and regionally, and it will be up to our staff to show them the potential of the program and all that UNO has to offer.”