HUNTINGTON – Marshall University has decided to retain its women’s swimming and diving program.
Marshall University President. Brad D. Smith made the announcement March 18 after a special meeting of the university’s Board of Governors.
Smith said STUNT still will be added as a varsity sport.
The announcement comes 10 days after members of the team filed a federal lawsuit alleging the elimination of the team is discriminatory and violates Title IX. The university cited the lawsuit as part of the reason to reverse course, saying the decision "followed “a brief legal review.”
Marshall said Wednesday’s announcement expands participation opportunities for female student-athletes and “reflects an updated implementation strategy for advancing the university’s commitment to Title IX participation opportunities, financial stewardship, and the long-term sustainability of Marshall Athletics.”
Smith said the original decision to cut the program was grounded in three realities facing college athletics: expanding participation opportunities for women, managing the financial realities of intercollegiate athletics, and addressing the infrastructure investments required to sustain Division I swimming facilities.
He said those realities remain unchanged.
“What changed was the recommended implementation strategy for achieving those goals,” Smith said. “External Title IX consultation indicated that eliminating a women’s program could potentially place the university outside the safe harbor framework of Title IX, even when the long-term result would be an increase in participation opportunities for women.
“When new information changes the pathway forward, responsible leadership reassesses. This decision allows us to retain the Swim & Dive program while continuing to expand opportunities for women and moving forward constructively for our student-athletes and our university.”
Marshall Athletics Director Gerald J. Harrison agreed.
“College athletics is changing rapidly, and universities across the country are navigating complex financial, legal, and competitive pressures,” Harrison said. “Effective leadership requires both strong principles and the willingness to adapt when new information emerges.
“By retaining Swim & Dive while continuing to add STUNT and expand participation opportunities for women, we are strengthening Marshall Athletics and maintaining our commitment to Title IX participation goals.”
The lawsuit filed by 15 members of the team mentions an independent Title IX evaluation performed last fall by Helen Grant Consulting that concluded “Marshall is out of compliance with Title IX’s athletics participation requirements.”
“The report confirms that Marshall does not have a history and continuing practice of expanding women’s participation opportunities,” the complaint states. “And the fact that Marshall now seeks to eliminate a fully rostered and highly competitive women’s swimming and diving team means it does not fully and effectively accommodate women’s interests and abilities either.”
To comply with Title IX, the report says Marshall must show substantial proportionality, meaning the percentage of women in the athletics program closely approximates the percentage of women in Marshall’s undergraduate student body.
But it says Marshall cannot satisfy this standard. An investigation showed Marshall would need to add about 210 more opportunities for female student-athletes to do so, according to the complaint.
“Indeed, it does not come close,” the complaint states. “And the planned elimination only makes matters worse.”
Today, Smith also acknowledged the strong advocacy shown by the student-athletes, their families and alumni who expressed support for the program in recent weeks.
“The passion and pride shown by these young women and their supporters reflects the very best of Marshall University,” Smith said. “Their voices were heard, and we respect the way they advocated for one another and for a program they love.
“We remain committed to expanding opportunities for women in athletics while ensuring that Marshall Athletics operates responsibly and sustainably.”
Allison Dodd, a junior and captain on the team as well as the lead plaintiff, celebrated the news.
“We are really happy Marshall is not only keeping our team but is going to help us make the team stronger for the long term," Dodd said. "We are also thankful for the tremendous support we got from alumni, our families, and the Marshall community. It meant a lot.”
Lauren Hunter-Rone, a diver from the class of 2013 and member of the Marshall Swimming and Diving Alumni Network, also is excited.
“This is a meaningful moment for our entire alumni community,” she said. “We appreciate Marshall’s willingness to listen, reevaluate, and take this step forward. We’re looking forward to working together, and holding this shared commitment, to ensure a strong, lasting future for Marshall Swimming and Diving.”
Joshua Hammack, one of the attorneys representing members of the team, echoed that sentiment.
“Today is a good day for the Swimming and Diving team, for the broader Marshall community, and for women everywhere," Hammack said. "Together with Marshall, these young women have strengthened the athletics program for current and future generations of Marshall students.”
In his remarks, Harrison said the university will continue developing a broader participation and financial strategy to support women’s athletics and Olympic sports.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that Marshall Athletics continues to grow opportunities for student-athletes while operating with disciplined stewardship,” Harrison said. “We are grateful for the passion shown by our student-athletes, alumni, and supporters, and we look forward to working with those who want to help strengthen these programs moving forward.”
Smith agreed.
“This moment is not about stepping away from our goals,” Smith said. “It is about ensuring that we achieve them while focusing on adding participation opportunities.
This enables us to continue strengthening women’s athletics while supporting the long-term health of Marshall University.”
The named plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Dodd, Madelyn Akin, Lauren Bell, Madison Bowen, Katherine Fisher, Ella Houk, Parker Lynch, Lauren McNamara, Nina Nugent, Lauren Ramsey, Sadie Rogers, Charlotte Thompson, Molly Warner, Karley Wolfgram and Zoe Wuerdeman. They are being represented by Hammack, Nicholas S. Johnson, Cary Joshi, Savanna Jones and E. Gabrielle Marcum of Bailey & Glasser.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert C. “Chuck” Chambers.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 3:26-cv-00183
