Marshall University's women's swimming and diving program is set to be discontinued at the end of the 2025-2026 season, as announced by Athletic Director Gerald Harrison. This decision comes as a shock to the team members, who were informed of the news on Thursday. The university, located in Huntington, West Virginia, is an NCAA Division I mid-major institution and a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Interestingly, Marshall does not sponsor a men's swim and dive program.
The women's team has been making waves, securing second place in the Sun Belt Conference Championships in both 2024 and 2025. Their success led to their official affiliation with the American Conference as affiliate members in swimming and diving on July 1, 2025. Prior to this, Marshall competed in the Missouri Valley Conference Championships, with their most recent 6th-place finish in 2023. The team is currently gearing up for the 2026 American Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, which will take place in Greensboro, North Carolina, next week.
However, the bright future of the program is overshadowed by financial constraints. Harrison explained in an email to the team that the decision was made for financial reasons. He stated, 'Swimming demands significant ongoing investments in facilities, locker rooms, and infrastructure to support the health, safety, training, and recruiting of our student-athletes. At present, we cannot commit to the level of investment required to maintain the high standards our student-athletes deserve and expect from Marshall Athletics.'
The university has also released a Q&A document addressing potential questions from team members and supporters. The team's head coach, Ian Walsh, recently hired Tom Huynh as the new head diving coach, just two weeks ago. A public meeting with Marshall's governing body to discuss the program's elimination is scheduled for February 17, but team members will be unable to attend due to their upcoming conference championship meet.
This news comes on the heels of another unfortunate development: the University of Montevallo, an NCAA Division II program, has announced plans to cut both its men's and women's swim and dive teams at the end of the season. The Marshall team, known as the Thundering Herd, has had a successful 2025-2026 campaign, winning six straight dual meets and recently defeating Toledo with a score of 215-81. Despite having only two seniors, the team boasts a roster of 28 swimmers and divers, including 12 freshmen and seven sophomores.
The future of the program is uncertain, with only two recruits, Anna Whitley and Ava Haese, set to join next season. The last NCAA qualifier for Marshall was in the 2016-2017 season when Sirena Rowe Cervantes earned a spot in the 50-meter freestyle, setting a new Marshall record. The team's success and potential for future achievements remain a topic of discussion, leaving many to ponder the impact of this decision.
