Story By: Brayden George
MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo Board of Trustees voted unanimously to table its decision on the elimination of swimming and tennis teams until its May 1 meeting, following heartfelt pleas from current swim team members.
After voting to close a combined 16 concentrations and minors at their Friday, Feb. 13, meeting, the trustees prepared to vote on the closure of the UM swimming and tennis teams. However, before the vote could begin, UM Athletic Director Mark Richard informed the board the swim team was present and wanted to come in to speak.
The meeting then took an emotional turn as over 20 members of the UM swimming teams filed into the conference room to make pleas for their program, and express disappointment in the Board.
The first student-athlete to speak was the senior captain of the women’s swim team, Keara McGee.
“We have faced adversity before, and this team has fought through many hardships, but has always come back stronger. And now, we aren’t even being given a chance to fight,” she said. “Through hard work I was able to become the first female national qualifier in the school’s history, and now … I may be the last.”
Members of the team expressed frustration, saying they had been told in a meeting one month ago that there were no athletic teams on the chopping block. However, the team learned in a meeting Thursday night that both men’s and women’s swimming and tennis teams were up for elimination.
University Chief Financial Officer Dr. DeAnna Smith apologized to the student-athletes profusely, saying “I am so sorry this is happening. We inherited some conditions that are unbearable … to turn it around would take many, many, many years and unfortunately … we don’t have the years to do that.”
Financially, the problems cited were the costs needed for extensive repairs the 22-year-old pool in the McChesney Student Activity Center — approximately $300,000-$510,000 — and the annual cost of maintaining the pool, which totals $152,000 a year.
Recently, the pool in the SAC was out of commission for a week, meaning students had to drive to the Birmingham Crossplex, nearly 70 miles round-trip, which also cost the University $120/day.
We have faced adversity before and this team has fought through many hardships, but has always come back stronger. And now, we aren’t even being given a chance to fight.
– Keara McGee, women’s swim team captain
Following all deliberation and remarks from members of the swim teams, UM Foundation Chair David Pickett asked Board Chair Tim Lupinacci for a two-minute private conversation.
Following the conversation, the two men returned, and Lupinacci then made a motion to table the vote until the May 1 meeting, which received a unanimous vote of approval.
Reactions to the vote from students were mixed. Some say that moving the decision to May makes transferring more difficult because of not having a direct answer. Others say it feels as though the board is simply “delaying the inevitable.”
When asked directly if the decision to table the vote did just “push off the inevitable,” AD Mark Richard replied, “I don’t know. I’d like to answer that, but I don’t know.”
The elimination of the men’s and women’s swimming and tennis teams will come back up for vote at the UM Board of Trustees meeting on May 1.
How did we get here?
The decision to vote on the elimination of the swimming and tennis programs came from a “total review of all athletic teams.” Teams were assessed on a variety of factors:
- Finances
- Roster size
- Scholarship allotment
- Facilities
- Conference affiliation
- Travel time
- Other outstanding factors
Executive Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Tammi Dahle met with the coach of every athletic team on campus to handle the overview for assessing the athletic programs and stated it was “an incredible experience,” and these cuts were “in no way reflective” of the teams, athletes or UM Athletics Department.
This is a developing story. We’ll post updates as they become available.
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