Cal Poly Athletes Evan Yoo and Alex Seybold Join Big Friendly Swim Podcast to Discuss Team Cut (Video)
The Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo athletic department announced Friday the discontinuation of both swimming and diving programs, effective immediately.
For a team that has had historic success this season, this decision came as nothing but shocking. Following the decision, team members Alex Seybold and Evan Yoo sat down with Ahmad Zeid, host of the Big Friendly Swim Podcast, to discuss the tumultuous events they have experienced.
Evan Yoo is a transfer from the United States Military Academy, and had an impact almost instantly for the Mustangs. The men’s team, in no small part due to Yoo and his breaststroke talent, had the first undefeated dual meet season in program history. Junior Alex Seybold has been a consistent performer in backstroke, breaststroke, and individual medley for Cal Poly.
Yoo and Seybold discussed the seemingly callous nature of the announcement, highlighting that the team wasn’t allowed in any athletic buildings and relegated to a classroom on campus for the meeting. On the day of the meeting, a recruit from Georgia was visiting campus and had announced a commitment to the team.
Team Budget
In the 2024-2025 season, the Cal Poly swim team budget was slashed to about $120,000. By contrast, other Big West Conference teams had an average budget of $210,000. To combat this, the swimmers successfully fundraised past their goal to an $85,000 tally.
In Yoo’s words, that doesn’t seem to matter to Don Oberhelman, the school’s athletic director.
“He (Don Oberhelem) specifically told us that he would not be allowing us to raise any sort of money for our team to continue at least one season. This comes after the most successful season this team has ever had. They stripped away our pool, locker room, and weight rooms for the rest of the season which have no additional costs to use our facilities. They told us to clear out our lockers within a week.”
In a meeting before the start of the season, Yoo and Seybold quoted Oberhelman as having said: “If I wanted to cut the team, I would.” That statement, combined with the sequence of events this weekend, has led the team to feel as though they have done something wrong, despite any evidence to support such a notion. For Yoo, Seybold, and the entire team, if the decision is financial and not personal, then fundraising shouldn’t be an issue.
An Accomplished Season
The announcement meeting took place Friday morning at 7 a.m. Yoo and Seybold described Oberhelman as almost cracking a smile throughout. Afterward, he was asked to name a single accomplishment the team had achieved that season.
The Cal Poly men had the first undefeated season in program history. More than a dozen school records were broken. Freshman Sam Seybold was named the conference Co-Freshman Swimmer of the Year. Yoo is the 2025 Big West Conference champion in the 100 breaststroke (52.40) and 200 breaststroke (1:53.64). He was the top point scorer for the team, adding a third place finish in the 200 individual medley (1:44.70) at the Big West Champs. Drew Huston won the 200 backstroke conference title in a 1:40.39, faster than what qualified for the 2024 NCAAs. Co-Head Coach Kim Foster Carlson was named the 2025 Big West Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year.
Oberhelman could not name an achievement when pressed.
Support for the Mustangs
Videos and social-media posts in support of the team have acquired tens of thousands of likes and views. Alumni within the team’s 30 year Division I history have not stayed silent. For Yoo and Seybold, who are leaders on the team, it hurts to see freshmen putting up retirement posts.
The swimming community is rallying behind the Cal Poly Mustangs. Cal’s David Marsh, one of the most successful coaches in history, took to social media to support Cal Poly.
Yoo and Seybold (and the entire team) had big goals. After a third-place finish for the men at conference, there was hope to make a run at a conference title in 2026, especially with a wealth of talented recruits who had plans of swimming for Cal Poly.
Big Friendly Swim Podcast host Ahmad Zeid conducted a thorough interview on the Cal Poly situation. Click here to watch the complete interview.
