In the long, storied fight to reinstate the Michigan State swimming and diving program, the next chapter now rests with new Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae, though a return still looks slim.
The university announced Bartholomae as the new AD in late August, after four and a half years at Western Michigan.
In a report from The Detroit News, Bartholomae said he is only willing to listen to supporters, though he can’t promise a return for the program cut after the 2020-21 season.
“Usually, (the question) is, ‘Can you reinstate the program?’ And my answer is, I cannot do that. Certainly not right now.” Bartholomae said in the report from The Detroit News. “I can’t make a promise about reinstating a program six weeks into the job, and I don’t see a lot in the landscape right now that suggests that’s a decision that we should be making, even within the next 18 to 24 months.”
Bartholomae shared that he respects and honors the program and will ensure it has a place in the school’s history.
“I listened to their perspective. I respect it. What I can do is honor that program, make sure that they have a place in our history, listen to your perspective, and I think I’ve done all those things,” Bartholomae said. “That program is a part of our history, and we’re not going to act like they never happened. I want them to have reunions, I want their reunions to be successful, I want them to have a platform to share whatever perspective they have about the program. And I’ll always be here to listen.”
Back in September, over 500 former Michigan State swimmers and divers attended the 70th annual reunion in East Lansing. Also at that reunion were Bartholomae, less than two weeks after taking the job with the university, and president Kevin Guskiewicz; neither was on staff at Michigan State when the swimming and diving program was cut.
At the time, it was the first program cut at Michigan State in nearly two decades, after the university eliminated men’s gymnastics in 2001.
Supporters raised $5 million by an October 2023 deadline to help build a new competition pool as part of the student recreation center and revive the program. Still, the university refused to move forward with reinstatement.
