Universities nationwide have been eliminating swimming and diving programs in the last two decades, causing hundreds of student athletes’ careers to come to a screeching halt. Colleges large and small, from NCAA Division I schools to Division III schools, have been affected by this growing trend.
It's a waste of space, especially now that we are land locked with the Bush Library that took all our land.
We are not land locked. SMU owns a boat load of property east of Central which truly makes SMU Dallas' Div 1 NCAA school. The new tennis facilities are in Dallas as well as all the other property east of Central.
yea, sure...and then what? We need space to expand, Bush killed that.
So... cut swimming (a traditionally very strong program) with... baseball? That requires even more land, and has Title IX implications AND we have a tradition of not being successful on the diamond at the varsity level. It's a shame we don't have men's cross country and track too, but we have what we have.
At this juncture, if we have to throw what few other successful sports we offer overboard for football and basketball, then we're not going to be able to hang with the big boys anyway. Either we need to support our existing programs as if we're a worthy Division I school, or we need to consider other options.
And we will continue to buy land, either next to campus or over in Dallas. That process never ends. We may have to go the route of Yale, and locate and buy a "west campus" away from the HP campus for research, storage and programs. But that is a bit off topic.
And just so there is no confusion- I think we can be and should be a Div. I program.
Support the Commitment! We're all SMU Mustangs fans- we should all be committed!
Greenwich Pony wrote:So... cut swimming (a traditionally very strong program) with... baseball? That requires even more land, and has Title IX implications AND we have a tradition of not being successful on the diamond at the varsity level. It's a shame we don't have men's cross country and track too, but we have what we have.
At this juncture, if we have to throw what few other successful sports we offer overboard for football and basketball, then we're not going to be able to hang with the big boys anyway. Either we need to support our existing programs as if we're a worthy Division I school, or we need to consider other options.
And we will continue to buy land, either next to campus or over in Dallas. That process never ends. We may have to go the route of Yale, and locate and buy a "west campus" away from the HP campus for research, storage and programs. But that is a bit off topic.
And just so there is no confusion- I think we can be and should be a Div. I program.
One of the guys on my freshman floor was a multi-time All-American in long distance running and/or cross-country. We were pretty successful in track. Although I love baseball, I would love to see Men's track come back first.
commitment to Olympic sports also helps recruit on an international level which is something SMU values. Always nice to advertise you have students from "x" number of states and countries
The sports we need to add are woman's and mens lacrosse. The fastest growing sport in the nation. We need to forget about baseball and softball. Little Leagues across the country have fewer and fewer kids playing. We need to keep swimming and diving and dump women's crew.
imisstexas wrote:The sports we need to add are woman's and mens lacrosse. The fastest growing sport in the nation. We need to forget about baseball and softball. Little Leagues across the country have fewer and fewer kids playing. We need to keep swimming and diving and dump women's crew.
Agreed, I am all for brining back Men's track/Cross Country. LaCrosse or Womens Field hockey. There are alternatives people...
Greenwich Pony wrote:So... cut swimming (a traditionally very strong program) with... baseball? That requires even more land, and has Title IX implications AND we have a tradition of not being successful on the diamond at the varsity level. It's a shame we don't have men's cross country and track too, but we have what we have.
At this juncture, if we have to throw what few other successful sports we offer overboard for football and basketball, then we're not going to be able to hang with the big boys anyway. Either we need to support our existing programs as if we're a worthy Division I school, or we need to consider other options.
And we will continue to buy land, either next to campus or over in Dallas. That process never ends. We may have to go the route of Yale, and locate and buy a "west campus" away from the HP campus for research, storage and programs. But that is a bit off topic.
And just so there is no confusion- I think we can be and should be a Div. I program.
Greenwich Pony what Title IX implications are you referring to? Other than equal sports I'm not up on the rules of title IX
yes - they are trying not to become too girl heavy like other privates. Baylor and TCU have that issue. And of course with Baylor about 15% of the guys are girls, so that adds to their problem.
