Ursinus College cancels men’s, women’s swimming seasons for hazing violations

Ursinus College has canceled the rest of the season for its men’s and women’s swimming teams after an investigation found violations of the college’s anti-hazing policy and student code of conduct.

The college, which announced the cancellation Friday, also said swimming coach Mark Feinberg had been placed on probation following an investigation that began in early September.

College officials said the issue involved alcohol and underage drinking. Tom Yencho, a spokesperson for the college, said Sunday that the hazing occurred early in the semester but didn’t provide details about what happened.

“While the decision to cancel the season was difficult, the safety and well-being of every student at Ursinus are our greatest priorities,” officials said in a statement. “Ursinus College does not tolerate hazing or any action that is antithetical to our values and our mission.

“To those who may have been personally affected by this event, we understand that this has been a difficult experience for you. We remain dedicated to your well-being, as we are for every student, and thank you for placing your trust in us,” the statement continued.

Officials said Feinberg, the coach, “supports and agrees with this decision” and “assumes a share of responsibility for the actions of both the men’s and women’s teams.” They said Feinberg would work on “addressing specific action items” and strengthening the teams’ culture, and also encouraged anyone on campus to report potential violations.

Ursinus is the latest area college to cancel a team’s season over the behavior of student athletes. At the University of Pennsylvania, the athletic department earlier this month announced the cancellation of the women’s volleyball team’s season after the discovery of “vulgar, offensive and disrespectful” signs in the team’s locker room.