Myrtha Announced As Partner For 2026 CSL Season

WESTMONT, Ill. - A pioneer in the construction of world-class swimming pools will also be playing a groundbreaking role in the evolution of collegiate swimming.

The competition Myrtha Pool within FMC Natatorium here in the Chicago suburbs will be the site of the first-ever College Swimming League event.

Designed as a fan-friendly, TV-ready event, the CSL will offer a series of meets featuring elite college teams in a dual-meet format. There are a total of six events and planned, but the debut at FMC will be uniquely structured as a two-day affair. The teams participating at FMC will be Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan and Louisville on Thursday, Sept. 24. Action on Friday, Sept. 25 features North Carolina State, Georgia, Alabama and defending NCAA women's champion Virginia.

“Myrtha Pools is proud to partner with the College Swimming League. There is no better facility than the world-class FMC aquatic center to kick off the inaugural CSL season,” said Mike Mintenko, VP of Revenue & Growth for Myrtha Pools USA.

The CSL series includes meets hosted by Stanford, Tennessee, California and at Georgia. In addition to the programs already mentioned, expect to see Auburn competing.

Events will be carried 'live' via either ESPNU, ESPN+, DAZN or the SEC Network.

The series builds toward a finale to be held at Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis. Results from the previous meets will be used to seed teams in a wild-card round on Nov. 5, followed by the championship meet on Nov. 6.

"It's worth paying attention to who's getting involved with the CSL at the ground level, before we've had a single season under our belt, and Myrtha is officially one of them,” said Kyle Sockwell, who is the Chief Operating Officer of the CSL. “They're the standard for the sport's biggest meets, and if you've watched one in the last 15 years, there's a good chance the swimmers were racing in a Myrtha pool. We're not building a pool in a football stadium in year one, but having them alongside us makes this series look and feel bigger, and we're glad they'll be with us for all eight matches this fall."

FMC Natatorium opened its doors in the fall of 2020 and has quickly become synonymous with fast swimming. It was the site for four world records established as part of the World Aquatics short-course meters World Cup series last fall, and it has hosted many elite-level competitions for swimming, diving, water polo and artistic swimming. The Illinois high school championships have had five straight seasons of swimming and diving competition at FMC during which that state's record book has essentially been rewritten. The CSL event further cements FMC as a premier swimming destination.

"Every partner is vital to the launch of the College Swimming League, especially as we build the foundation of this exciting new venture,” said Robert Kent, CEO of the CSL. “However, our partnership with Myrtha Pools holds a truly unique significance for us. To host elite events exactly the way we envision, we must have access to world-class facilities—and that is exactly what Myrtha Pools delivers. There is no better example of this than our inaugural match at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont, a spectacular Myrtha Pools that sets the absolute benchmark for our competition. As we scale, we are constantly asked if other venues can host a CSL match; our answer is always that the facilities must meet the rigorous, premium caliber that Myrtha Pools provides. They are not just an exceptional partner for the CSL, but a champion for the advancement of swimming as a whole." 

FMC Natatorium features a 9-lane, 50-meter pool with custom starting blocks and two Myrtha flow-through bulkheads to present the courses for traditional 25-yard, short-course racing in deep water. Hidden from the view of fans is an 8-lane, 25-yard instructional pool which can serve as additional warm-up/cool-down water for athletes. Spectators at the facility are treated to great sight lines and an abundance of choices, as seating is available on three sides of the pool.

“Myrtha Pools looks forward to watching some of the NCAA's top athletes as they continue their development toward the LA 2028 Olympic Games. The road to gold is paved in steel, and we wish them the absolute best in their pursuit,” said Mike Mintenko, VP of Revenue & Growth for Myrtha Pools USA.