Pittsburg State University is an accredited, comprehensive, state-supported institution in southeastern Kansas, enrolling approximately 7,200 students annually. The institution has Colleges in the fields of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Technology. For more information see: http://www.pittstate.edu . Pittsburg has a population of approximately 19,000 residents and is located in southeast Kansas, about thirty miles from Joplin, Missouri, which has a metropolitan area population of about 60,000 residents. Kansas City is located 120 miles north; Tulsa, Oklahoma is 125 miles southwest; Wichita is 160 miles west; and Springfield, Missouri is 95 miles east. For more information see: http://www.pittks.org .

UCLA Athletics is once again at a pivotal crossroads

Already burdened with a $219.5 million cumulative deficit over the past six fiscal years, and facing the looming financial obligations from the House v. NCAA settlement — which will require approximately $22 million annually in direct athlete compensation — the UCLA athletics department must now navigate a fragile future for its non-revenue sports, including women’s swimming and diving and water polo.

History Echoes: UCLA Cut Men’s Swimming After a National Title

This moment evokes a painful chapter from UCLA’s past. Despite winning the 1982 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving championship and producing one of the fastest swimmers in the world, Robin Leamy, who set NCAA records in the 50-yard freestyle and won USA relay gold medals at the 1984 Olympics, UCLA famously cut its men’s swimming program in 1994.

Budget pressures and the need to comply with Title IX gender equity standards were cited. Yet the decision shocked the swimming world: how could one of the sport’s top programs — home to 22 Olympians — simply disappear?

Read the original LA Times coverage here.

“It didn’t matter that we had world records, Olympic medals, or NCAA titles,” one former swimmer recalled. “We were still cut because of the numbers.”

Today’s Success — and Today’s Risks

Fast forward to today, and the parallels are unsettling.

UCLA’s women’s water polo team is just a year removed from a perfect season by capturing the 2024 NCAA title. The women’s swimming and diving teams continue to produce NCAA qualifiers and Olympic hopefuls.

But success in the pool does not guarantee security outside of it.

Swimming World has reported on the financial challenges now facing collegiate aquatic sports:

Starting in the 2025–26 season, NCAA swimming teams will be capped at 30 athletes per gender, with some conferences proposing even stricter limits. Cuts and roster reductions have already begun nationwide, particularly for non-revenue sports like swimming and diving.

Big Ten Move Brings Hope — But Also Pressure

UCLA’s move to the Big Ten Conference is expected to provide a financial boost, with an estimated $75 million annually in new media rights revenue.

But this influx must cover soaring travel costs, new athlete compensation models, and the university’s existing debts. Athletic Director Martin Jarmond remains optimistic about sustaining Olympic sports — but history shows success alone doesn’t always save programs when budgets tighten.

The ghosts of 1994 are hovering again over Westwood. The question now is not whether UCLA can win championships — its aquatic programs already are. It’s whether that will be enough to preserve them in an era where spreadsheets, not scoreboards, often have the final say.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Columbia Outdoor Track & Field team returns to action this weekend at the Princeton Elite Meet in New Jersey. This is the final opportunity for student-athletes to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Prelims in two weeks. 

The competition will begin on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Weaver Stadium with the women’s javelin. 

MEET INFO

For everything you need to know about the Princeton Elite Invitational, visit the event page on Princeton’s website, HERE. 

Live results will also be available, HERE. 

LAST TIME OUT

Last weekend, the Lions participated in the Outdoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. 

Obiora Okeke made headlines, capturing the Shot Put Ivy League Championship with a historic toss. 

In the finals on Sunday afternoon, Okeke launched a shot 20.17m, which set a new meet record as well as a program record to secure the Ivy League title. After also placing fourth in the discus with a mark of 52.21m and seventh in the hammer, Okeke was named the Most Outstanding Performer – Field of the Outdoor Championships. 

Elsewhere, the Lions earned 14 medals including four silver and three bronze.

After Joshua Adams won the Lions’ first silver medal on Saturday in the long jump, Rory Clare claimed the team’s first silver on Sunday in the 1500m, clocking in at 4:25.64, just over a second off of first place. 

Haydn Brotschi also took home a silver medal, taking second in the 400m with a time of 46.80, just under two tenths of a second away from gold. 

The final silver medal came from the men’s 4×800 relay, consisting of Ben Bergey, Justin Gottlieb, Matt Gatune, and Jacob Van Orden. The team finished with a time of 7:23.90 to claim the medal. 

The women’s 4×800 relay took home a bronze medal, as the squad of Isabella Shertzer, Clare, Grace Carr, and Lucy Henkel finished with a new program record time of 8:32.46. 

The men’s and women’s 4×100 relays also each earned a bronze medal. 

Full results from the Ivy League Indoor Heps can be found HERE. 

ON DECK: 

With the regular season wrapped up, attention will turn towards NCAAs, beginning with the Outdoor Prelims. For qualified student-athletes, the competition will begin on Wednesday, May 28 at 3 p.m. in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Columbia’s schedule for the rest of the 2024-25 outdoor season can be found HERE. 

 

Stay up to date on all things Columbia track & field by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsXCTF), Instagram (@culionsxctf) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).