KUTZTOWN, Pa. – After a 15-year hiatus, the Kutztown University men's swim team makes its long-awaited return in 2024-25, starting with tonight's PSAC meet at Shippensburg.
 
The Golden Bears last competed as a varsity program in 2008-09 and will take the first steps in rebuilding towards their past success.
 
Men's swimming was first sponsored as a varsity sport at Kutztown during the 1970-71 season and produced 22 winning dual meet seasons, 11 All-Americans across 19 events and one national champion in two events. The program placed as high as 12th nationally twice (1977-78 and 1995-96) and peaked at third in the PSAC Championships in 2003-04. The Golden Bears were 6-3 in their last season of dual meet competition and placed eighth at the PSAC Championships.
 
Tim Flannery, who previously coached the men's team from 1996 through 2009 and is currently in his 28th season as the Golden Bears women's swim coach, will lead the men's program once again.
 
"I am so excited for our men's swimming alumni and our women's swim team," Flannery said on Dec. 12, 2022, with the announcement that the men's program was returning. "It was devastating to lose our men's program in 2009. There is no question having a men's program will help our women's team. The biggest and best swim programs sponsor both teams. The swimmers from both teams tend to form strong bonds and push each other to be better student-athletes on many levels. I am thankful to our administration for making this decision and understanding the value of intercollegiate athletics in general."
 
Kutztown's roster this season is comprised of seven swimmers, all underclassmen. Dual wins will be difficult to come by with limited numbers against larger established rosters but improving times throughout the season and achieving PSAC qualifying cuts will be tangible goals for the Golden Bears to shoot for.
 
The student-athletes representing Kutztown's return to men's swimming are Matheson Bair (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), Gabriel Clauss (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown), Theo Miksa (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), Colby Orndorf (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin), RJ Otten (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), Nigel Pizzo (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) and Paul Spear (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland).
 
"These guys understand that they're building the foundation going forward," Flannery said. "We may be short on numbers but the guys we do have are quality swimmers that can certainly challenge some of our program records."
 
The Maroon and Gold open the season with a couple meets away from Keystone Natatorium before hosting Montclair State on Homecoming, Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. Other home meets include Franklin & Marshall on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m., and Ursinus on Friday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m.
 
"I'm looking forward to this season and the progress we can make," Flannery said. "It's been great having the men's program back and their presence has pushed our women's program to ramp up their performance, too, so over time I'm hopeful the result is more success for Kutztown University swimming as a whole."