Marshall swim and dive team members react to program being cut

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The conclusion of any athletic season comes with strong emotions, even more so for the Marshall swimming and diving team.

“It’s heartbreaking,” senior team member Tatum Robinson said.

They competed in their conference championship in North Carolina last week after the Marshall Board of Governors voted on Feb. 17 to cut the sport.

“I was just shocked,” Mia McBride, the team’s only other senior, said.

“It was confusing and frustrating,” Robinson said. “It’s really sad.”

Marshall President Brad Smith said the three factors leading to the decision were financial, infrastructure, and Title IX. The board also voted to add a new STUNT program.

“I feel like it was unnecessary and that the team definitely could’ve carried on,” Robinson said.

McBride said her heart hurts for the underclassmen, especially those recruited to come to Huntington from other countries, including India, Israel, and Bulgaria.

“I spoke to a few of the parents of the international crew on our team, and they were so upset and just frustrated,” McBride said.

When asked how she thinks she’ll look back on being part of the program’s final senior class, McBride said, “I won’t get to pour my heart into the newer generations of this program. I think I’ll be really sad about that, but I’ll also look back with fond memories of my time here and everything I’ve learned and the relationships I’ve built.”

McBride and Robinson said they strongly encourage people to support women’s sports and attend games and matches. They said that support is really needed right now.

Marshall Athletic Director Gerald Harrison told WSAZ last week that more than half of the team members had entered the transfer portal. He said those who choose to stay at Marshall will continue getting the same level of financial aid.

“This is not a performance decision,” President Smith said in a written statement. “Our swim & dive program has represented Marshall with pride, competing with strength and achieving greatness in the classroom. This is a structural decision about sustainability and alignment in a rapidly changing NCAA environment.”