Marshall University has reversed its decision to cut the women’s swimming and diving program following a student-led legal challenge that raised questions about federal gender equity compliance.
The about-face was revealed Wednesday during a special Marshall Board of Governors meeting, just one week after team members filed suit to preserve their sport.
“Leadership is about making difficult decisions and tradeoffs, and sometimes those decisions are unpopular,” Marshall President Brad Smith stated during a press conference. “But leadership is also about having humility to listen, to learn, and to adjust course if new facts and information emerge. And that’s what we have done here.”
Swimming coach Ian Walsh expressed his admiration for the program participants, particularly the student-athletes. “How you’ve navigated the past month has been nothing short of exceptional,” Walsh commented.
The controversy began last month when Marshall announced it would discontinue swimming while adding stunt — a discipline combining cheerleading elements — to its women’s athletic offerings. Team members learned of the program’s termination just one day before their conference championship competition, ending what would have been a 23-year run.
During a February 17 presentation to the Marshall Board of Governors, Athletic Director Gerald Harrison outlined the swimming program’s $819,000 yearly budget and noted that current facilities fail to meet NCAA competitive standards. He explained the athletic department lacked resources to upgrade facilities and maintain the program long-term. The proposed stunt program, accommodating up to 65 student-athletes, would require approximately $320,000 annually, according to Smith.
Title IX mandates gender equality in educational settings and forbids sex-based discrimination in any federally funded educational program or activity. Universities can demonstrate compliance through various methods, including maintaining athletic participation rates that reflect the overall student body’s gender composition.
The swimmers’ legal action highlighted an independent assessment from last fall revealing Marshall’s difficulties in providing adequate Title IX athletic opportunities for female students. Smith referenced this audit Wednesday, explaining that cutting women’s swimming “could potentially place our university outside the safe harbor framework of Title IX.”
Smith acknowledged this information differed from earlier guidance the university had received. He noted that potential costs from extended litigation also influenced Wednesday’s reversal.
The university will proceed with plans to establish stunt as a varsity sport, Smith confirmed.
This situation reflects broader changes affecting college athletics nationwide, as increasing numbers of universities modify their sports programs amid significant shifts driven by a $2.8 billion NCAA settlement.
