Albertus Magnus College Director of Athletics Jim Abromaitis has announced that the College will bring back women's swimming. The Falcons last sponsored swimming in 2003-04.
The women's swimming program will compete as a club team during the 2016-2017 academic year, with the plan to ascend to varsity status as soon as possible, and compete in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), of which Albertus Magnus is a member for all sports. The team will be the College's 14th varsity sport.
"Albertus Magnus College is pleased to begin a women's swimming program," Albertus Magnus College Interim President Sr. Anne Kilbride said. "Swimming is a life sport and having a competitive program will enhance the individual and team skills of the female student-athletes who participate in this sport."
In the 2016-17 school year, 248 total colleges and universities sponsored women's swimming as a varsity sport at the Division III level. Albertus Magnus will be the eighth college or university in Connecticut to feature women's swimming as a varsity sport. The season begins in mid-January and continues into March, with the GNAC Championship and the National Championships taking place in April.
The team will practice and compete on campus at the pool inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center. The pool is 25 yards long and 15 yards wide with six full lanes.
"Preparations for the program, including upgrades to our pool facility and the hiring of a coach, are already underway," Abromaitis said. "We've begun outreach to high school swimming teams and clubs around the state and we are excited to build a program."
Women's swimming will be the newest varsity sport at the College following men's golf transitioning to varsity play in the fall of 2015.
A search for Head Coach of the Albertus Magnus College Women's Swimming program will begin immediately.
