It's a tough time for water sports at UC Irvine.
Men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's rowing, and sailing teams have been disbanded because of budget concerns, school officials said this week.
According to UCI, the move is part of an effort to save $1 million, the Daily Pilot reported:
For UCI, about 130 athletes will be left without their sports, which Associate Athletics Director Bob Olson called, “pretty much the ultimate last resort.”
Coaches and athletes were informed of the decision Wednesday morning, many of them responding by asking how much money they would have to raise to continue their programs, Olson said.
"There's not going to be a one-year fix for this. If they can raise enough money to ensure the sport for the next five years then we'd consider that," he said, with the hurdle being that they would need all of the money up front.
