Junior colleges: Clovis Community launches swim and dive team

Clovis Community College launched its inaugural intercollegiate sports team, as swimmers and divers competed on a sunny Saturday at Clovis North.

Five colleges took part in the meet, including Fresno City – which also opened its first season in the sport – and Sequoias.

Clovis Community athletic director Susan Yates overall was pleased with the turnout.

“To actually see it come to fruition,” said Yates, who is Fresno City’s former AD. “We’ve been working on it since 2014. The (school) president (Deborah Ikeda) was so committed to having a sports program.”

Clovis Community became the state’s 113th JC with approval by the California Community Colleges board of Governors on July 20, 2015.

Men’s and women’s soccer teams will begin playing in the fall, Yates said. The school is still deciding on a nickname, but expects to make an announcement within a couple of weeks.

Fresno City added swimming and diving to its lineup of now 12 women’s and nine men’s sports. The coach is Gianna Rossi, who is in her fourth season in charge of women’s water polo.

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Junior colleges: Clovis Community launches swim and dive team."