WVU Reducing Varsity Sports
April 16, 2003 02:50 PM | General
April 16, 2003
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia University will reduce its number of varsity sports teams from 21 to 16 beginning with the 2003-04 school year, athletic director Ed Pastilong announced this afternoon.
Under the reduction plan, rifle, men's tennis, men's cross country and indoor and outdoor track will be discontinued. Pastilong met with the coaches and student-athletes of these teams today.
"This decision certainly does not come easy," said Pastilong, "but in these tough economic times, it is a necessary one for us to continue to be self-supporting."
The changes will effect seven in-state and 49 out-of-state student-athletes.
"We recognize the hardship this decision put on our players and coaches and we are taking measures to assist them."
As part of its strategic direction presented by Pastilong in June, 2002, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics set forth a plan to reduce expenditures, maintain a balanced budget, invest to build competitiveness, continue to be self-sustaining, increase revenues and build reserves.
While a number of measures were explored, the discontinuation of sports was the only avenue that made a serious impact on the operating budget. Once fully implemented, the annual direct savings will be $591,230 (rifle $163,000; men's tennis $151,000; men's cross country/track $277,230) with an additional savings to come from support services now provided to each sport.
Variables considered in the decision included financial impact to the department; competitiveness of the sport in the past five years, present and future; viability of the sport on a local, regional and national level; impact on student-athletes; and gender equity issues.
The rifle team currently has 11 student-athletes (3 in-state, 8 out-of-state), men's tennis has nine (0 in-state, 9 out-of-state) and men's cross country, indoor track and outdoor track has 36 (4 in-state, 32 out-of-state).
Mountaineer student-athletes currently participating in the five sports will be permitted to retain their athletic scholarships at the same level for the remainder of their undergraduate careers at WVU based upon their years of remaining eligibility
Pastilong noted that NCAA rules permit student-athletes in discontinued sports to immediately transfer to any other institution without penalty or loss of eligibility. He said WVU will assist any student-athlete who wishes to transfer in order to continue playing at another school. If they choose to remain at WVU, they will continue to have access to student services including academic and career counseling, access to athletic facilities, weight rooms, training and strength staffs.
Jeff Huntoon will continue as coach of the women's cross country and track programs. As part of the transition, rifle coach Marsha Beasley and men's tennis coach Ed Dickson will be reassigned to duties within the athletic department through June 30, 2004.
"I have great respect for the job that Marsha, Ed and Jeff have done at WVU," said Pastilong.
"The cost of operating an intercollegiate athletic program at the Division I level is escalating," said Pastilong. "We must bear the cost of facilities, increased tuition costs, and rising operational expenses, including increased security measures and utilities. We're not unlike many schools across the country experiencing the same budget difficulties and faced with similar decisions. We plan to focus our resources on the remaining 16 sports to build quality, competitive programs."
WVU will now sponsor 16 varsity sports - baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's rowing, football, women's cross country, women's indoor track, women's outdoor track, men's swimming, women's swimming, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's tennis, women's gymnastics, wrestling and women's volleyball.
"The lengthy self-examination was conducted by the administration of the athletic department and the conclusion to reduce the number of sports sponsored at WVU is difficult," said Pastilong. "The announcement was made as early as possible in order to allow student-athletes effected by the reduction to explore all their options."
Men's tennis started as an intercollegiate sport at WVU in 1936. Men's track began as a varsity sport in 1905; men's cross country first competed on the varsity level in 1929. Rifle became a varsity sport in 1952.
