Saint Leo Brings Back Varsity Swimming Teams

Florida student-swimmers will regain a collegiate team option, starting as club teams in 2027-28 before NCAA Division II in 2028-29.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Swimming

Empty outdoor 25-yard swimming pool with six plain lane ropes on calm turquoise water, pale concrete deck, and palm fronds at the far end. — Saint Leo University will reinstate varsity men's and women's swimming in 2027, starting as club teams before moving to NCAA Division II in 2028-29. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Saint Leo University will reinstate its varsity men's and women's swimming teams, which were cut in 2023. The teams will begin as club teams in the 2027-28 academic year before moving to NCAA Division II competition for 2028-29, offering a path for Florida swimmers to compete at the collegiate level again.

Why it matters

For Florida student-athletes, the return of these programs restores a collegiate swimming option that disappeared when the school cut its teams in 2023. The men's team had competed at the NCAA Championships for 12 straight seasons and the women's team for 10, so the reinstatement signals a return to a competitive track record rather than a new startup.

The information comes from Saint Leo University's program announcement, which cites the teams' past NCAA Championship appearances as the historical record. The projected timeline of club competition in 2027-28 followed by NCAA Division II in 2028-29 is a forward plan rather than a confirmed completed outcome.

The players

Saint Leo University

A private university in Saint Leo, Florida, established in 1889, which is restoring its swimming programs after the 2023 cuts.

Megan O'Reilly

Saint Leo's Manager of Aquatics and Fitness, a former collegiate swimmer at the Catholic University of America, who will coach both revived teams.

The details

Saint Leo University cut its men's and women's swimming, track, and cross country programs in 2023, and has since restored the other sports, including building a new outdoor track. Megan O'Reilly, the school's Manager of Aquatics and Fitness, will serve as head coach of both swimming teams, and she previously swam collegiately for the Catholic University of America. Training will primarily take place at the Marion Bowman Aquatics Center, which has a six-lane, 25-yard outdoor pool.

Men's team competed at NCAA Championships for 12 straight seasons, 2012-2023.
Women's team made 10 straight NCAA Championship appearances, 2014-2023.
Saint Leo cut its swimming, track, and cross country programs in 2023.
Teams begin competition as club teams in the 2027-28 academic year.
Teams transition to NCAA Division II competition for the 2028-2029 season.

Health Landscape

Restoring collegiate swimming gives Florida athletes a structured route into competitive aquatics, an activity with broad fitness benefits. The NCAA Division II pathway, with its club-stage entry point, is how many schools rebuild programs after prior cuts.

Swimming is a low-impact, full-body activity, and collegiate programs offer structured training for students who want to stay active. Students interested in joining can contact Coach O'Reilly by email, and anyone considering competitive training should discuss their fitness goals with a physician.

The takeaway

Organized collegiate swimming gives students a structured path to regular, full-body exercise. Students interested in joining the revived teams can contact Coach Megan O'Reilly by email to ask about tryouts.

What happens next

The teams begin competition as club teams in the 2027-28 academic year and are scheduled to transition to NCAA Division II competition for the 2028-2029 season.