Most Mid-American Conference schools have multi-use aquatic facilities where classes, athletic practices and community activities can take place at the same time.
Ball State University has Lewellen Aquatic Center, a single-use facility. This means if the swimming and diving team practices, no one else can use the pool, Bob Thomas, co-coach for the men's and women's swimming and diving teams, said.
Ball State needs a larger aquatic facility. Lewellen is too small to host MAC championship meets or large non-conference meets - let alone meet standard needs of the university.
Lewellen Aquatic Center has six 25-yard lanes. In comparison, Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center at the University of Miami (Ohio) has eight 50-meter lanes. This means that Lewellen Aquatic Center is less than half the length of Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center's pool.
In addition to length, Lewellen Aquatic Center's pool is five feet deep, while Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center's pool is 10 feet deep.
Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center is able to host meets for the Miami Varsity Swimming and Diving Teams, local high school meets and USA Swimming and Diving meets according the University of Miami (Ohio) Web site.
Thomas said when he started coaching at Ball State in the early 1980s, the team needed larger facilities, however, nothing has been done to address the problem since then.
Ball State has found funding to expand other athletic facilities, but has not expanded aquatic facilities to provide the space for the swimming and diving teams to host MAC championship meets.
Ball State is losing bigger meets by failing to expand the aquatic center. Officials should reevaluate their priorities when it comes to expanding facilities, especially when it could involve bringing Olympians to campus.
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