Furman Paladins cut two athletic programs
GREENVILLE, S.C. (BVM) — Furman University recently joined 16 other Division I schools in discontinuing a number of its athletic teams. With COVID-19 bringing forth unheard of financial difficulties, schools across the nation have been forced to cut some of their sports programs. For the Paladins, it was both the baseball and men’s lacrosse teams.
“None of these decisions was easy or made lightly,” Furman President Elizabeth Davis said through a press release. “But I can say with great sincerity that each was carefully considered and adopted in the interest of advancing the university and fulfilling its academic mission.
Since January, the university has been focused on tackling urgent needs as well as long-term needs related to the pandemic. It has now shifted its focus to making sure classes can return to “in-person” come the fall semester.
Because of the campus being closed for a portion of the spring semester, as well as throughout the summer, the university lost an abundance of money. They refunded millions of dollars in room and board, and took on extra costs for advanced technology due to online schooling.
In addition, camps and performances scheduled for the summer had to be canceled, meaning another chunk of expected income was lost. The university’s endowment also dropped $100 million.
In order to prioritize health and safety, and recover from losses, the athletic department had to make some cuts. They analyzed their programs, including the history, tradition and fans following each team, and decided that baseball and men’s lacrosse were the most futile at the moment.
“We are taking these steps to ensure that our university can thrive and continue to carry out its academic mission at the highest level of quality and engagement,” Davis said.
The loss of the two teams affects 95 student-athletes and six coaches. The athletic department will be working closely with the six coaches to support them during this time. They will also honor all scholarships through the remainder of each athlete’s undergraduate career. If athletes decide to transfer, the university will assist them in that process.
“Our immediate focus is on supporting our student-athletes and coaches impacted by today’s decisions, as well as our alumni and fans who so passionately support our programs,” said Director of Athletics, Jason Donnelly. “The legacy of Furman baseball and men’s lacrosse will be remembered and celebrated.”
The cost-cutting move is projected to save them $5 million annually. As of now, the university has no plans to reinstate the sports in the future.
