Former Acadia swimmers excel at Dalhousie after home pool closure

Nate Thompson, a former Acadia University swimmer, was in the room in February 2025 when the school’s president and athletic director revealed to its swimmers that the Acadia pool would be closed and the swimming program eliminated.

He said the air left the room, and everyone fell silent. One of the other swimmers started to cry.

“We all had to decide whether we wanted to stop swimming and stay at Acadia, or keep swimming and go somewhere else,” Thompson said.

Of the 47 swimmers who swam as Axemen or Axewomen in their last season, nine chose to take their talents to Dalhousie University. Thompson was one of those nine. But before those players left and the program was eliminated, Acadia had one last dance at the Atlantic University Sport and U Sports championships. 

Thompson said the crowd was a sea of reds and blues as parents, supporters and friends made their way to the University of New Brunswick to watch the program’s final AUS championship. 

“That was definitely the most passion that I’ve seen swimmers compete with,” said Alexander Hussey, a second-year Dalhousie swimmer who spent his first year of university at Acadia and competed in the team’s final AUS championship run. His sister, who was also on the team, broke into tears when her final race concluded. 

Thompson said the men’s team’s goal was to rally around the women’s side for a final push against Dal. Each Acadia team finished second in their conference, behind Dalhousie, but the Axewomen finished the championships only 27 points behind the Tigers. 

After all the races were complete, swimmers from the other AUS programs lined up with their arms raised, forming a tunnel for the Acadia swimmers to run through. Lily MacLean, a second-year Dal swimmer who previously swam for Acadia, said the other programs supported the Acadia teams throughout the meet.

“It was like having everyone behind our backs,” MacLean said. “A lot of the team was not in a good mental state with that information, but just to see how strong everyone pushed through and still swam … It just meant a lot.”

MacLean, who spent only one year at Acadia, had planned to spend four years in Wolfville, N.S., but the pool closure upended those plans. She experienced something similar when her club’s pool closed in her ninth-grade year.

“I just said I can do it again,” MacLean said. 

Some former Acadia swimmers have stayed in the AUS, transferring to Dal, UNB or Mount Allison University. Others headed to schools in Ontario, including the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario or the University of Ottawa. But those who stayed at Acadia picked a path without swimming.

Fitting into the team

Thompson said even though his former team considered Dal to be their competitors, because swimming is “such a niche” sport, there was never real animosity between the teams. He said the schools congratulated each other after setting personal bests. And regardless, in individual races, swimmers from the same schools compete against one another.

“We were rivals … but never the enemy,” Thompson said. 

Four former male Acadian swimmers agree that the transition to the new team has been smooth.

“There was never an instant where we felt any resentment,” Hussey said. “It was just accepting from the beginning.”

On the women’s side, even though things were tight the year prior, Katherine Dawson, a third-year Dalhousie transfer swimmer from Acadia, said the team was welcoming from the jump.

“I was working with one of the girls on the team, and when I walked out on deck she said, ‘Oh come on, I’m going to introduce you to everyone,’” Dawson said. “They’re super welcoming and friendly people.”

Dal’s head coach, Lance Cansdale, said the former Acadia swimmers’ attitude and gratitude have been incredible during the transition period, with some players thanking him after every practice.

“They’ve really grabbed a hold of the philosophy and fit into the team,” Cansdale said. “You wonder how that will mix. Will it be oil and vinegar, or will it really gel?

“It gelled right away.”