Wright State University announced Wednesday that it’s cutting three sports in an effort to reduce the athletic department’s operating budget by $2 million.
“The action is being taken as part of the university’s overall budget restructuring efforts,” the statement read, noting the school will honor the scholarships of all 39 student-athletes. “Wright State is implementing a multiyear plan that will stabilize operations in the midst of lower projected enrollments and declining state support. The current COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for all areas of the university to reduce expenditures.”
The cuts drop Wright State’s athletic department to 11 sports — six women’s sports and five men’s sports. The university, which competes in the Horizon League, is seeking an NCAA waiver to remain a Division I member, as the NCAA requires DI schools to sponsor at least seven men’s sports and seven women’s sports.
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"These events are devastating in that they impact the lives of both our students and staff in a very negative way and cut deep into the fabric of supporting our students for success," Wright State University president Sue Edwards said. "These circumstances we find ourselves in are ones that all universities across the country find themselves facing. We are sadly going to have to make more decisions moving forward that will be difficult, but the long-term sustainability of the organization is key.”
All three eliminated sports had their 2019-20 seasons cut short by COVID-19, with the softball team finishing 7-11, the men’s tennis team going 3-8 and the women’s tennis team going 2-9.
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