The swimming season ended early for Ursinus College.
The private liberal arts school in Collegeville, Penn. announced Friday that it would cancel the remainder of the men’s and women’s swimming seasons due to violations of the college’s anti-hazing policy and student code of conduct. Coach Mark Feinberg is also on probation amidst an investigation that began in September and centers around alcohol and underage drinking.
“While the decision to cancel the season was difficult, the safety and well-being of every student at Ursinus are our greatest priorities. Ursinus College does not tolerate hazing or any action that is antithetical to our values and our mission,” the school’s statement said. “Ursinus works hard to create a student culture and safe living environment that is respectful of every individual, and moving forward we are fully committed to providing meaningful learning experiences for all student-athletes. We will work together to improve our culture and learn from this experience.”
The statement said that Feinberg, who became a full-time member of the athletic coaching staff in April 2008, agreed with the decision to cancel the remainder of the season, and that he will work on strengthening the teams’ culture moving forward.
“We are hopeful this experience will lead to a more vigorous dialogue about promoting courage and personal responsibility while cultivating and affirming a stronger community,” the statement said. “Faculty, staff and all students must hold ourselves and each other accountable to ensure the safety of every member of the community.”
Ursinus College, which is located about 30 miles northwest of Pennsylvania, started the swim season with a sweep of Cabrini on Oct. 19. The Bears’ final meet was Nov. 16, when they were swept at St. Bonaventure. The men’s and women’s teams both finished the shortened season with a 3-2 record in dual meets, including 2-2 in the Centennial Conference. The season was scheduled to end with the NCAA Division III meet in March.
