Roanoke College Director of Athletics Scott Allison announced Wednesday the addition of men's and women's swimming to the Maroons' NCAA Division III sponsored sports.
Roanoke, which now has 21 athletic programs, will begin competition in 2017-18 and a national search for a head coach will begin immediately. The two programs will swim at the Salem YMCA which is located on Roanoke's Elizabeth Campus. The YMCA features an eight lane, 25 meter pool that includes a scoreboard and accommodations for fans, officials and timers.
"We're excited to add men's and women's swimming to our list of intercollegiate athletic offerings here at Roanoke College," said Allison. "The habits swimming devotees develop during their formative years -- sacrifice, commitment, discipline -are conducive to in and out of the classroom success. We will surely welcome their presence within our community."
Men's swimming is the newest sponsored sport in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and RC will join Hampden-Sydney, Randolph-Macon and Washington and Lee as full ODAC members who sponsor men's swimming along with associate members Ferrum and Greensboro. Emory & Henry will join on the men's side as well next year.
Women's swimming has been part of the ODAC since 1983 with seven current full member institutions fielding teams, along with Ferrum and Greensboro. Randolph will join Roanoke next season as the newest members.
