Randolph-Macon Announces the Addition of Men’s Swimming

ASHLAND, VA – Randolph-Macon President Robert Lindgren announced on Friday that the College will be adding men's swimming as an intercollegiate sport. The Yellow Jackets will begin recruiting immediately with the intention to start competition in the fall of 2011.

"We are pleased to add to our competitive intercollegiate sports programs by creating a new men's swim team," said Lindgren. "Talented swimmers coming out of high school will now have the opportunity to further develop and demonstrate their skills at R-MC and compete at a high level."

Men's swimming is the 16th sport sponsored by R-MC and will be led by current women's head coach, Ben Delia who will serve as the coach of both programs. A search for a full time assistant coach is underway.

"I'm excited to announce that we will be adding men's swimming to an already successful stable of sports at R-MC," said Burns. "I'm even more pleased that Ben Delia has agreed to lead the program that I know will flourish in the same way the women's program has under his direction."

The Yellow Jacket men will integrate with a women's program that has proven to be among the best in both the state and south region. Delia is embarking on his fourth year as head coach of the Randolph-Macon swimming program. Over the course of his first three seasons in Ashland, Delia has led R-MC to a 23 dual meet wins and three second-place finishes at the ODAC Championships.

"I'm thrilled to be adding a men's swimming program at Randolph-Macon, and look forward to bringing in a group of men who will be able to compete at the same level as our women's team," said Delia. "This move will immediately enhance all aspects of our swimming program at R-MC, especially with regard to recruiting and competitiveness."

The Yellow Jackets captured their first league championship in 2006-07 and have been cited by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America for its success in the classroom on several occasions, including a CSCAA Scholar All-American Team award in 2010.

Both swim teams will call the Estes Aquatic Center home. The state of the art facility, located in R-MC's Brock Center features six, 25-yard lane pools, with the deep portion of the pool reaching nine feet, which makes it ideal for instruction. The aquatic center also features state of the art, touch-scoring systems for meets and practices as well real-time scoreboards and locker room areas.

-Yellow Jackets-