(Story Courtesy of University of St. Thomas Sports Information Department)
HOUSTON, Texas -- Swimming is coming to the University of St. Thomas! As part of the athletic department's expansion into NCAA Division III, Swimming will be the next sport to be added to the Celt Athletic Department. With the addition of men's and women's swimming, UST Athletics will sponsor 19 sports starting in 2023-2024. After much discussion and research into expansion, the University decided the addition of an NCAA Swimming program would provide many opportunities for and most benefit the UST and Houston communities.
According to Director of Athletics Todd Smith the timing was perfect, "There are so many quality high school swimming student-athletes in the Houston area we knew it would be the perfect addition for us. We are excited to partner with UTHealth and offer this opportunity to the Houston area swimming community."
As members of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), men's and women's swimming is a natural fit. Currently, five member schools are competing. St. Thomas will join Austin College, Centenary, Trinity, Colorado College, and Southwestern as they compete for a SCAC title. In addition, St. Thomas' NCAA provisional transition ends this fall, making the Celt teams eligible to compete in NCAA National Tournaments.
A search for a men's and women's Head Swimming Coach is underway. A coach will be hired this summer and given the 2022-2023 year to recruit a roster before competition begins in the 2023-2024 athletic year. The team will train and compete at the UTHealth Auxiliary Enterprises - Recreation Center located in the middle of Houston's beautiful Medical Center.
