Fundraiser set to save Wright State program

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FAIRBORN —Former Wright State University athletes, coaches and fans, or anybody who appreciates the lessons learned from competing on a college sports team, can help members of the Raiders men’s and women’s swimming & diving team compete for the 2017-‘18 season.

On May 19, the University announced cost-cutting measures that would eliminate the swimming and diving programs immediately. Besides the saving of budget dollars, Wright State was also concerned with the antiquated pool and the cost to maintain and/or replace such a facility.

At the June 8 meeting of the Wright State University Board of Trustees, the members gave the directive to the Interim President Curtis McCray and the Director of Athletics Bob Grant to explore a plan for the swimming and diving teams to compete during the 2017-‘18 season.

As a result, a group of former swimmers and friends have set out to make the upcoming season a reality through a fundraising effort. If the funds are raised, there will be a limited schedule, including the Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships. This will give the student-athletes an opportunity for one more season.

The fundraising group has been charged to raise $85,000 by June 30. Anyone wishing to contribute can go to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America website at: http://www.cscaa.org/savewrightstate?DB_OEM_ID=27000.

According to the CSCAA website, if the $85,000 can be raised, “the programs will be preserved and a permanent WSU Swimming and Diving Foundation will be established to help fund future years.”

The CSCAA is holding the donations, because the WSU Advancement office will not return any gifts should the fund raising effort fall shy of its goal. Upon raising the $85,000, the CSCAA will transfer the sum of $76,500 to Wright State University for the express purpose of preserving the Raiders swimming and diving programs. The additional 10 percent, or $8,500, will be made available once the Friends of WSU Swimming and Diving have created an independent external foundation to support the WSU Swimming and Diving program.

Should the effort fall short of the $85,000 goal, all donations will be returned to their donors.

As of Friday afternoon June 16 the CSCAA website had received $34,825 in donations, roughly 41 percent of its goal.

To make a donation by check, mail to: CSCAA. Attn: Wright State Fund, P.O. Box 121, Essex Falls, N.J. 07021. (Send an email to Greg Lockard at [email protected], so that he can add your amount to the total.)

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Greene County News

Story provided by Wright State University Athletic Media Relations.

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