ECU Swim & Dive teams raise money for program

ECU Swimming and Diving team members are raising money for their program and hope others will join their cause to keep the teams a part of East Carolina Athletics.

According to Ben Barden, one of ECU’s Swim Team Captains, they have raised a little more than $200,000 but have a goal to raise $1.5 million.

Grega Popovic is a former member of the ECU Swim Team and said, "We're just trying to raise as much money as we can, and show the school that they made a mistake by cutting our program."​

Barden explained, he doesn't think the turnaround will happen any time soon, but he does hope these funds help future Pirate Swimmers. "It would be just as special to me if a few years down the road we finally got to that goal and the swim team was able to come back,"​​ he said.

Barden said the amount of money they have already raised is a good sign. "That is an encouraging sign that so many people want to help out this awesome program and keep us going because they see the amazing things were doing."​

Gavrilo Blijden is also a former member of the swim team, and he said the money will also help their coaches. "If they donate for the swimming and diving teams, it will not just be for the swimmers and divers, but it will also help out the coaches that lost their jobs."​

The petition currently has almost 16,000 signatures.

You can donate by reaching out to saveecuswimanddive@gmail.com.

You can also make your voice heard by signing the petition in the link provided in this story.