MSU Swim Team is cut, Swimmers are Fighting Back

In October 2020, MSU Athletic Director Bill Beekman decided to cut the school’s swimming and diving program because of so-called “money losses”.  

The team was cut because during COVID, the school’s athletic department was losing money and the swim program wasn’t bringing in enough money. “The financial picture had improved significantly by early 2021 — Michigan State’s athletics budget is well over $100 million — and Beekman said publicly he was open to ideas about possibly salvaging the program,” stated Tony Paul of The Detroit News. 

This leaves us with one question: Will the MSU Swim and Dive program be coming back? It’s hard to say, but it’s possible. Bill Beekman stepped down from his position and with Beekman gone, that just puts the chances up. “We have a Battle for Spartan Swimming and Diving group that has been raising money and trying to get in contact with the administrator,” stated MSU swimmer Sophia Balow. 

A number of efforts have been taken to try and get this team back. “The women’s program has taken its case to court, and in February scored one legal victory when an appeals court shut down a lower court’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction. The women’s program, claiming MSU violated Title IX rules, has more hope of being saved than the men’s program,” stated Tony Paul. 

In 2022, MSU swimmers hopped in the pool for the school’s club team. They ended up winning the national championship which was a huge slap in the face for Bill Beekman. “This meet was really all about the team and it was so fun to be able to prove to the administration that we could still swim at a high level,” Balow stated.