WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Monmouth University Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Marilyn McNeil, after consulting with the University’s Trustees, has announced that the men’s and women’s swimming programs will be reintroduced as NCAA Division I sports at the school, with regular season competition starting in Fall 2015.
The Hawks will join current full Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference members Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Niagara, Rider and Saint Peter’s in offering both men’s and women’s swimming. Full MAAC member Siena also has a women’s team, while Bryant is an associate member of the MAAC on the men’s side.
McNeil stated, "As part of the agreement to join the MAAC conference, the university was charged to meet the core sport conference requirement. Because of the early success of swimming, the ready facility, the ability to meet the needs and interests of both male and female students, and an acknowledgement of the Shore area and its strength in these sports, Monmouth is excited for the future of swimming!"
Monmouth has a storied tradition of swimming excellence, featuring gold medal winners at several levels, including the Olympics. Six members of its Athletics Hall of Fame were members of the swimming program, including Coach Richard Steadman, for whom Monmouth’s natatorium is named. The 1974 Monmouth men’s and women’s swimming teams were recently honored as teams of distinction at this year’s Monmouth Athletics Hall of Fame dinner.
The 1974 men’s and women’s swimming teams featured an unprecedented level of team and individual success at Monmouth. The men’s and women’s team each won NAIA & AIAW National Championships and earned seventh place finishes at the NCAA national meet. The squad featured 16 combined All-Americans and 22 qualifiers for the National Championships. A combined 30 Monmouth swimming records were set during the 1974 season and the team would feature four future National Champions and one future Olympic Champion in 1976 gold medalist Wendy Boglioli.