Division II Walsh University Adds Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving
Walsh University, a Division II school in Ohio, is adding men’s and women’s swimming and diving for the 2026-27 academic year.
The school made the announcement on Wednesday. It brings the university’s athletic offerings to 28 programs in 25 sports and fits with its, “mission to cultivate athletics as a living leadership laboratory, intentionally designed to develop essential skills such as communication, resilience, honesty, and generosity—the very attributes that employers across all industries seek in their future leaders.” The school has a “30 by 30” initiative that is looking to offer 30 sports by 2030.
The teams will compete in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The school located in North Canton cited the density of programs in the area, including the University of Akron and Cleveland State, as seeding the swimming environment in Northeast Ohio.
“Adding Swimming and Diving is a forward-thinking investment in our students’ futures,” Vice President for Athletics and Athletic Director Christina Paone said in a press release. “Through sport, our scholar-athletes learn to lead with integrity, adapt to adversity, and work collaboratively—skills that last a lifetime and set them apart in the workforce. Our mission is to develop servant leaders, and athletics is one of our most powerful tools.”
The G-MAC has a partnership for championships with the Mountain East Conference. The championship meet was held last year at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium and featured 10 women’s teams and nine men’s, with the University of Findlay taking both titles.
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