The University of Washington announced this morning that it will cut the mens and women’s swimming programs, effective immediately.

Athletic Director Scott Woodward announced the decision as part of a series of budget reduction measures that will reduce the number of intercollegiate sports sponsored at the UW to 21.

“Discontinuing a sport is one of the most difficult decisions we face in college athletics,” Woodward said in a release. “We have a number of serious issues that have arisen out of the recent economic crisis. It is with great regret that we are discontinuing our swimming programs and we will do everything possible to assist the student-athletes and coaches who are affected.”

The only Bellevue-area swimmer on the team is sophomore Russ Mahan of Sammamish High School. Mahan took first in the 100 breast in three-straight duals as a freshman last season for UW.

The university will honor all existing scholarship agreements and will grant permission to any other school that wishes to contact those who seek to transfer.

UW dropping swimming leaves the Pac-10 with just five men’s swimming programs, with none among its member institutions in the Pacific Northwest.