As the Marquette University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics continues to prioritize student-athlete success and academic excellence, the university will add women’s swimming as its 17th varsity sport, with the program scheduled to begin competition as early as the 2025-26 season, Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Broeker announced Wednesday afternoon.
The program will compete in the Big East Conference Championships but will not feature a diving program. Nearly 200 NCAA Division I institutions (over 5,000 student-athletes) sponsor women’s swimming, including fellow league members Butler, UConn, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova and Xavier, and rosters feature as many as 30 student-athletes.
“Marquette Athletics is uniquely positioned to offer women’s swimming student-athletes a transformative experience, combining quality training and competition with a proven history of academic achievement for our student-athletes. It’s a win-win for our department and university,” said Broeker.
The addition of women’s swimming as a revenue-generating sport was presented by Athletics during the Securing Our Future process to improve gender equity while offering a competitive Division I experience for student-athletes. Adding women’s swimming will require minimal startup costs. The practice/competition pool and locker room are available at the new Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility.
“As we implement our sustainable, mission-aligned, multi-year enrollment strategy, Athletics has been a key partner to strategically allocate university financial aid and highlight the Division I student-athlete experience,” said Brian Troyer, vice president, enrollment management.
The team will train and compete in the recently renovated Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility (opened in January 2025). The building features a six-lane, 25-yard pool, seating for nearly 150 spectators, a dedicated team locker room and an office for the two-member coaching staff. The facility will have the ability to host dual competitions, but any larger meets would take place off campus.
Swimming is the second women’s Division I team added in the last 12 years (lacrosse in 2013) to provide additional opportunities for female student-athletes and improve gender equity in athletics at Marquette.
A national search for the program’s first head coach will begin immediately.
