Colorado College
ACHA M3 • NULL
Date: October 10, 2026
Would Recommend
Tags
As someone whose child swam competitively for more than a decade, I find these numbers deeply concerning. What makes this situation particularly disappointing is how far Colorado College's swimming program has moved from an inclusive, competitive, and fun culture to a workhorse, school-second, swim-fast-only mentality. Under the highly respected former head coach, Anne Goodman, Colorado College offered something special: a competitive, caring, and genuinely enjoyable Division III swimming experience. Athletes were expected to work hard, but the coach understood the demands of being a student-athlete at a rigorous academic institution. Some swimmers at Colorado College could have competed at Division I or Division II schools. They deliberately chose Division III because they desired to be athletes while also enjoying a challenging academic experience and a balanced college life. Swimmers typically don't shy away from hard work. Most have spent a decade or more waking up before dawn, training year-round, and balancing swimming with demanding academics. Colorado College's Block Plan makes this balance especially important. Students attend class from 9 a.m. to noon, and many STEM students also spend substantial time in afternoon labs. The previous coaching philosophy recognized those demands, emphasizing afternoon practices and some morning strength training. Under Coach Buffin's leadership, multiple double-practice days each week have fundamentally changed that balance, eroded team camaraderie, and impacted mental health. There is a difference between building a competitive Division III program and trying to run a Division III program like Division I without recognizing why athletes chose Division III in the first place. Keep in mind that CC offers ZERO athletic scholarships for Division III swimming. What concerns me most is not simply the training schedule, but the apparent loss of a positive team culture. Reports of favoritism, negativity, burnout, and athletes feeling unsupported deserve serious attention, especially alongside the documented roster departures mentioned above. The numbers already shared speak volumes. These are not inexperienced athletes discovering that college swimming is difficult. Many are upperclassmen, accomplished competitors, and academically successful students who have dedicated much of their lives to this sport. And the departures appear to be continuing. The current season is already seeing attrition. At what point will Colorado College's athletic department recognize this as a program-wide issue rather than a series of unrelated individual decisions?!?! Winning conference championships is wonderful, but championships alone don't measure a program's health. Athlete retention, team morale, academic balance, and the student-athlete experience matter just as much. CC also competed in a less competitive conference last season, where it won both events, while its biggest competition moved divisions. A successful Division III coach should build a competitive program without sacrificing the culture, enjoyment, and well-being of the athletes who make it possible. Colorado College once demonstrated that those things could coexist under Coach Anne. It is disappointing to see so many swimmers apparently deciding that continuing in the program is no longer worth it. I know I will no longer donate to this program, nor encourage younger swimmers to consider CC swimming. Prospective swimmers and their families deserve to ask difficult questions about training expectations, team culture, and the reasons behind these departures before committing to four years at CC. Colorado College is a wonderful institution, and its student-athletes deserve a program that reflects that standard. It is time for CC to examine the swimming program’s roster attrition under its head coach, Buffin, look closely at the numbers, and ask what is driving athletes to leave. I do not think it is the chlorine or the hard work! It is the new leadership. She has had time to settle in, and the students are still leaving her team. Not everyone is meant to lead young adults.