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Supreme Being
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Western Illinois reinstates men's and women's swimming and diving programs!!
Courtesy: Jason Kaufman, Western Illinois Athletics
Release: 06/29/2009
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois University Vice President for Student Services Dr. Garry Johnson and Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Tim Van Alstine today announced that the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will reinstate its men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. It was announced on June 5, 2009 that the two programs were to be eliminated in an effort to balance the 2009-10 athletics department budget.
University officials understand that more significant restructuring is required to establish a long-term funding model that will support a competitive broad-based NCAA Division I athletics program. Further, Western Illinois University is committed to accommodating the interests and abilities of its student-athletes while making these restructuring decisions.
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, which consisted of 23 student-athletes on partial scholarships in 2008-09, will continue competition at the Division I level this fall. A national search for a head coach will begin immediately.
“We are grateful for the Leatherneck swimming and diving family and the greater swimming community, who have provided input, assistance and financial support during this process,” said Van Alstine. “It is very apparent, now more than ever, that the support for swimming and diving on a national scale is alive and well. Without that support we would not be able to continue our success in the pool and in the classroom.”
Western Illinois has not eliminated a sport since 1985 when men’s wrestling and women’s field hockey were dropped. Women’s soccer was added in 1997 and women’s golf was added in 2001, bringing the total number of Division I sports programs to 20.
“We will go back to the drawing board and continue to look for creative ways to fund a broad-based, gender-neutral department at a competitive Division I level,” Van Alstine continued. “(The decision to cut swimming and diving) was certainly not an easy one, and I am very happy for our swimming and diving student-athletes today.”
Let's Go WESTERN!!
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Forum Member
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| Swimming/Diving Reinstated. Channel #10 Quincy just reported that a search for a Coach will begin immediately. So 'Neck Fans - what is going on - why/how did a program that got cut and was finished come back so quick? What is the scoop (or more appropriately "poop") on this?
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Supreme Being
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It does really make you wonder just what is going on at WESTERN Athletics: Swimming & Diving is dropped and then re-instated in less than one month's time. What a roller-coaster trip for those team members.
Does anyone think that the Summit League told us that we had to keep those sports in order to stay in the Conference????? That's the only thing that I can come up with.
Let's Go WESTERN!!
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Freshman
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I have heard from many people that the school was facing some title 9 lawsuits. I would guess they had more to go on then just that. One thing with making the annoucement so late most of the athletes could not even get enrolled in other schools. I think they might of faced some serious pressure on that issue also. I also have heard the interview process is already completed and they will be annoucing the new coach within the week. I think things are looking up for the swim program. Let's hope this time around things get straightened out and they can keep the program running. I know the total cost to have the swim programs is so low it didn't make much sense to cut both programs in an effort to make it to the goal # they were looking for. Both teams with travel, coaches salaries and scholarships for both programs came in under $95,000 per year. They make that back in tuition from the team. Not sure what they thought they would gain with this cut.
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Forum Guru
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My sources say, and I have waited a while to say this, that the swimming and diving program was merely a "drop in the bucket" financially as was stated in an earlier post!
The savings were minimal at best and with the nice facility WIU has did not make a lot of sense to scrap. I don't think the shuffle of coaches has helped. It seems like the new coach has a sense of history and purpose. The fact that he was in charge of recruiting at Truman State makes him an even better choice!
Sorry for the "drop in the bucket" remark, but I just had to use it!!!!!
jc
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Forum Guru
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PS!
I don't really think there were any Title 9 issues in this case. Seems like whenever there are changes its the first thing that people scream!
jc
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Supreme Being
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Greg Naumann named head coach of Leatherneck swimming and diving program!!
Courtesy: Katie Kane of WESTERN Athletics
07/15/2009
Greg Naumann returns to Western Illinois after coaching stints at Macomb High School, Augustana College and Truman State University!!
Western Illinois University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Tim Van Alstine has announced the hiring of Greg Naumann, former Leatherneck swimmer and student assistant coach, as head coach of the Fighting Leatherneck swimming and diving program.
“Greg was able to experience great success here at Western on a student-athlete level and I am confident he will carry on the tradition of hard work and dedication to the student athletes today,” Van Alstine said. “His familiarity with the Macomb area and Western alumni will allow him to continue to strengthen the program.”
A four-year letterwinner at Western (1998-2002), Naumann was a part of the 1998-99 conference championship team under then-head coach Jerry Champer. Champer led the Leathernecks’ men and women programs to five championship titles in seven seasons. Naumann joined Champer for the 2002-03 season as a student assistant coach and also served as the head coach for the McDonough County YMCA.
“I have always been really interested in coming back to Western,” Naumann explained. “When coach Champer was here he had a really strong program. As the conference competition continued to grow and evolve, the men’s team has slipped out of the top place, while the women’s team has remained toward the top. I want to be instrumental in bringing back the strength of the men’s program.”
Naumann returns to the Macomb area after serving as the assistant coach at Truman State where his responsibilities included serving as the primary recruiter for the men’s team, coordinating travel arrangements, organizing workouts and assisting the head coach in daily duties.
In 2007, the Davenport, Iowa native was named head coach at Division III Augustana College. In addition to Augustana, Naumann was named head coach for Team Iowa at NCAA Zones in 2007 and assistant coach in 2006.
Naumann also served as the head coach of the Davenport Metro Swim team for three years (2005-08) and was the assistant for four years (2000-04) while obtaining his master’s degree in sport management from Western Illinois in 2006.
In August 2003, Naumann started a two-year head coaching stint at Macomb High School where he coached Alayna Colley, now a junior in Western’s swimming and diving program, to the Illinois High School State meet as a freshman and sophomore. He also coached a boys relay team made up of Joel Beard, Josh Murphy, Alex Johnson and Dan Buren to the Illinois High School State meet for the first time in more than 10 years.
Naumann is an active member of the American Swim Coaches Association and a level three coach. Naumann’s duties at Western begin August 1.
Let's Go WESTERN!!
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