UMass Dartmouth Reinstates Men’s Swimming Six Years After Cut
Six years after cutting men’s swimming and diving, UMass Dartmouth announced this week it will reinstate the program.
UMass Dartmouth discontinued men’s and women’s swimming in July 2020, part of eight axed programs. It reinstated women’s swimming and women’s tennis in May 2021. Now men’s lacrosse and men’s swimming and diving are coming back.
In addition to its vacillation on existing programs, UMass Dartmouth is adding women’s flag football for the 2026-27 academic year, first as a club sport and then as varsity in 2027-28.
“Athletics is an important part of the fabric of our campus community,” UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Mark A. Fuller said in a press release. “I’m excited that these new sports will create additional opportunities for student-athletes to compete, grow, and represent the University, while also helping us attract even more talented students to an already strong and vibrant program.”
Men’s swimming and diving will return to the Little East Conference in Division II. Women’s swimming and diving head coach Mike Kroll will take over the Corsairs men’s team.
“The success of our current student-athletes has paved the way for continued investment in UMass Dartmouth Athletics,” Director of Athletics Lori Hendricks said. “We know that students are stronger scholars and more engaged community members when they participate in co-curricular activities; moreover, our athletics community contributes to the overall energy of the campus. My thanks to Chancellor Fuller and the University leadership for their support of this expansion. We are excited to continue the tradition of excellence into this new era of UMass Dartmouth Athletics.”
The regime that oversaw the since-reversed changes in 2020 is no longer in charge. Former Chancellor Robert Johnson made the cut during a lame-duck period as he was going to take another job. Former athletic director Amanda Van Voorhis remains with the school in a diminished role as an associate director specializing in compliance in programming.
