EAST LANSING, MI — Michigan State University athletics said Thursday it will no longer sponsor men’s and women’s swimming and diving as varsity sports following the conclusion of the 2020-21 season.
The school cited the loss of revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the reasons for shutting down the program. The cost of updates to the school’s swim facilities was another contributing factor.
“We understand that the news is devastating to our outstanding student-athletes in these sports, as well as to their coaches, but with every thoughtful analysis it became increasingly clear that we were not positioned to offer the best experience to our student-athletes, either now or in the future,” said Bill Beekman, director of intercollegiate athletics at MSU.
Scholarship commitments will be honored beyond this year for any student-athletes who choose to finish their undergraduate degree at Michigan State, Beekman said in a press release. Coaches will have their contracts honored through summer of 2021.
