Sonoma State University’s athletic department may have received a fiscal lifeline from the State of California on Tuesday that could help stave off the full elimination of its 11 intercollegiate sports programs.
As reported by The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, of the $45 million total from the state, $8 million is intended for the athletic department over the next three years. SSU had estimated that it would save $3.7 million annually by cutting athletics, 15% of the nearly $24 million in cuts proposed by campus administrators in January.
Sonoma State University’s athletic department may have received a fiscal lifeline from the State of California on Tuesday that could help stave off the full elimination of its 11 intercollegiate sports programs.
As reported by The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, of the $45 million total from the state, $8 million is intended for the athletic department over the next three years. SSU had estimated that it would save $3.7 million annually by cutting athletics, 15% of the nearly $24 million in cuts proposed by campus administrators in January.
"While not fully offsetting the athletic department’s yearly expenses, the infusion rekindled some optimism that SSU sports could be saved and make their return in part or in full in the next couple years," Gus Morris of The Press Democrat wrote, adding, "Coaches and other members of the athletic department welcomed the announcement, but also said they had many new questions about how the one-time funding could be used."
If it's not too little, the state's lifeline might be too late.
Most of its 200-plus student-athletes have transferred out of Sonoma State, a handful of coaches have left for other jobs and the programs have already donated their equipment. The contracts of those coaches who haven’t left are set to expire on Monday.
A class-action lawsuit brought by now-former student-athletes at the school seeking to halt the elimination of its intercollegiate sports came up short after a Sonoma County judge in early May ruled  the cuts could proceed.
Related: Athletes Sue Sonoma State, CSU Over 'Fraudulent' Elimination of All Sports Programs
The best-case scenario, according to longtime SSU men’s soccer coach Marcus Ziemer, is that SSU would be on athletic probation for the upcoming school year and would be able to rejoin the NCAA if it can field the NCAA-minimum 10 athletic programs for the 2026-2027 school year.
SSU would not only need to rehire coaches but would also need to fill out the athletic department with personnel in the compliance and sports information offices, as well as and other support staff, Morris reported.
As Morris pointed out, SSU has revived its athletic department before. The school didn’t field any NCAA athletic programs from 1975 through 1978 after students favored abolishing student fees. The city of Rohnert Park and SSU alumni raised enough money to bring sports back in 1979. All the programs returned as club sports and eventually regained full NCAA status, largely thanks to the continued support and community fundraising efforts — a dynamic that will be even more important this go-round. SSU's student fees are already among the highest in the 23-member California State University system, Morris reported.
Student enrollment also is projected to drop for the upcoming school year, meaning there would be less money coming from the campus for athletics going forward, but still enough conceivably — when combined with the state's assistance — to keep the athletic department afloat.
