Hofstra University To Add Men's, Women's Swimming And Diving Teams

HEMPSTEAD, NY — Hofstra University is adding men's and women's swimming and diving teams to its NCAA Division I athletics program, with both teams set to begin competition during the 2027-28 academic year, university officials said Monday.

The addition will bring the university's athletics offerings to 23 programs, creating new opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the Division I level.

The university said it will begin a national search for coaches and recruit student-athletes immediately.

"The addition of men’s and women’s swimming and diving strengthens our Division I athletics program and creates new opportunities for talented student-athletes to compete at the highest level," Hofstra President Susan Poser said.

The teams will train and compete at the Hofstra University Swim Center, which features an Olympic-size swimming pool and four diving boards.

Both programs will compete in the Coastal Athletic Association. With Hofstra's addition, the conference will sponsor six men's swimming and diving programs and nine women's programs.

Hofstra currently has approximately 375 student-athletes across its athletics programs, according to the university.

The addition marks Hofstra's first expansion of its intercollegiate sports offerings since 2019, when the university introduced men's and women's indoor and outdoor track.

Nationally, 137 men's swimming and diving programs compete at the NCAA Division I level, including 50 in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. There are 201 women's Division I programs nationwide, including 56 in those regions.

"This is an exciting step forward for Hofstra Athletics and for the University as we continue to create new opportunities for student-athletes to compete, grow, and succeed at the highest level," said Rick Cole Jr., Hofstra's vice president and director of athletics. "We look forward to building these programs and welcoming student-athletes and their new coaches to the Hofstra family."