Veteran NIU women’s swimming coach Mike Burt will be leaving DeKalb and NIU after the current season ends.

Burt said he is retiring from coaching after 16 years, the last five at NIU, and will not seek another coaching job. “This was a personal decision,” he said.

Burt said that he and his family decided to move from the DeKalb area, hastening his decision to retire from coaching.

“My memories of coaching will be of the wonderful people I’ve dealt with,” Burt said, “especially the student-athletes.”

Burt will remain at NIU until the season ends. The team is currently training for the Midwest Independent Regional Championships set for Feb. 28 through March 2. The women swimmers finished with a 5-5 dual-meet ledger.

A replacement for Burt has not been announced yet. In the meantime, Burt continues to perform all coaching duties. “We’re continuing to recruit,” Burt said. “All the people who we’re recruiting know the situation.

“The (recruits) do have some concerns (about whom the new coach will be), but you recruit (using) the University as a whole.”

Burt’s last regular-season meet featured a 135-105 Huskies’ victory over previously unbeaten Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Feb. 16.