The Cal Poly swimming and diving team isn’t gone yet. The college program that was cut on March 7 by the athletic department is looking to raise enough money to keep the program going.
The program has earned a second chance, but it amounts to a tall order as the group must raise $25 million.
“People can say whatever they want about the amount of money that we have to raise but I think we’re all hopeful that we can do it,” Cal Poly junior swimmer Camilo Vargas told KSBY.
Despite meeting an $80,000 fundraising goal this season, it was not enough to secure long-term safety, but Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong allowed the program one last chance. The program is now raising $25 million for an endowment that would fund the program for many years, according to coach Kim Carlson.
“When we made that money [$80,000}, we thought for sure we were out of the woods in terms of that,” Carlson told the station. “Then now we’re being asked to raise $25 million, which just seems like a lot of money for, for a swim team.”
According to reports, the program has been able to raise $2.1 million, giving the team hope that they can reach their first hurdle of $10 million by April 15 before needing to come up with the remaining $15 million by mid-June.
“It’s been really encouraging and I think it’s motivating everyone who’s pitching in,” Vargas said.
That includes some of the big names of the sport like Missy Franklin Johnson and Ryan Murphy, who have donated and encouraged others to do the same.
“Let me know how I can help, I really hope we can save this program,” Franklin said in a video message to the program.
