WKU Hilltoppers: Swim and Dive Program Unlikely to Return Following Suspension — Report
On Tuesday, Brad Stephens of the Bowling Green Daily News reported that, come 2020 and the supposed return of the WKU swim and dive…
On Tuesday, Brad Stephens of the Bowling Green Daily News reported that, come 2020 and the supposed return of the WKU swim and dive program, the program wont actually be coming back due to budget cuts.
Funding eliminated for WKU's swimming and diving program
Western Kentucky's swimming and diving program is unlikely to return in 2020 upon the completion of its suspension…www.bgdailynews.com
Brad outlined the cuts that were approved by the Board of Regents for 2018/19, as well as what the program’s budget was in it’s final year, saying:
WKU’s athletic operating budget took a $1.14 million reduction over recent months as part of university-wide cuts. The $1.14 million figure includes $226,502 in personnel costs and $912,981 in non-personnel costs, per the 2018–19 WKU budget approved Friday by the school’s Board of Regents.
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The combined 2014–15 budget for the men’s and women’s swimming programs was $995,421.
He also says the BGDN learned that the budget council included eliminating funds for the program.
While this news is far from a bombshell, it is disappointing to hear with how successful the program was when not clouded by hazing allegations.
But, I clearly remember (and you might as well) all the talk around the decision to suspend the program for such a lengthy period of time as a reason to justify, essentially, killing it, which appears to be exactly what has happened (though I have my doubts this was actually planned, and it’s just an effect of circumstance).
The swim and dive program was one of the most decorated on campus, with 24 combined conference titles and being the hailing ground arguably the most recognizable WKU Olympian in Claire Donahue.
With the programs cut, it’ll leave WKU with 14 sports: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball.