East Carolina University announced on Thursday it would cut four athletic programs as part of the school’s budget restructuring efforts from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Both men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s and women’s tennis were the sports affected by the budget cuts, affecting 68 student athletes and nine coaches across the four programs.
According to WFMY News in Greensboro, North Carolina, the university will honor all scholarships of affected student-athletes who want to continue studying at East Carolina University and will complete their degree in four years. Under NCAA transfer rules, students are immediately eligible for competition when the students’ original institution discontinues the sport in which the student practiced or competed.
“Today’s decision came after a deliberate review and in-depth analysis of the athletics department’s budgets and programs,” said Interim Chancellor Ron Mitchelson. “The current athletics budget was not sustainable pre-COVID-19 and the university was working closely with athletics to decrease the annual deficit over the next year. With the pandemic, the deficit began to grow significantly where the impact was immediate and will affect future revenue and expenses for years to come. Ultimately, the reduction of sports aligns ECU with our American Athletic Conference peers and provides a roadmap to a more sustainable future for the University and athletics.
In swimming circles, East Carolina University qualified one swimmer each to the NCAA men’s and women’s swimming and diving championships, with freshman Kristen Stege making the women’s meet in the 1650 and senior Gustavo Santos making the men’s meet in the 100 butterfly.
To bad for this program! Not fair!
So sad
That’s awful
???
So sad!
Awful so sad
sucks!!!!!
Why? Sad
Disappointing…
Wow
Anita Rivera Maribel Torres Soto
Se acuerdan cuando fuimos a ECU para las pruebas de fisiología antes de los CCCAN?
Carlos Lomba sii, para convencer a algunos de que en Sadce hacíamos más y mejor!
Kelly-Anne McDonnell ?
Randi Schoener-mcdonnell So sad but they had to make some cuts or raise tuition and fees , stinks for those kids and for the school as a whole as they now lose prospective good students , such a bummer !
Kelly-Anne McDonnell I know. Sad.
Very sad:( Their team is in the same conference as my daughter’s. The men won and the women finished forth. Very spirited team! I’m sorry to hear this.
Noooooooo !
Nooooo
So sad for this program. Hope this isnt effecting any scholarships.
Tracy Cameron Hepner from the article:
“the university will honor all scholarships of affected student-athletes who want to continue studying at East Carolina University and will complete their degree in four years.”
Sadly there’s probably more to come
?
So devastating!
The dominos will start falling I’m afraid. Uggg
Terrible news!
so sad
I’m sorry Ginger! Such sad times!
Devastating! Stop cutting swim programs!
Probably the only sport that can definitely save your life: not good
Very sad, I hope this isn’t a trend?♂️☹️
Joel Gitlin I’m with you.
HORRIBLE! Been to this school. They have an awesome D1 swim team.
Boo
DAMN!!! Too bad they can’t let the Team Members / Coaching Staff Fund-raise themselves to keep this going!!
Hey but keep spending big bucks on the major programs (big new fball coach contract last year) can’t wait to see them in the “Who Gives a Flying F…. Bowl” and playing before hundreds in the sleet and rain in Memphis or Mobile…
so incredibly sad.
Very sad
That suxs
This is so sad!!!!!!
Very disappointing! Great program.
Terrible news.
Very sad to see. Swam against them in college many years ago
Sad, that terrible decision
Absolutely horrible decision
Oh NO!
Wait! What? Didn’t they just sign Coleman?!
I know other money factors were involved, but there are a lot of non P5 schools that are going to lose swimming programs. And if there is no Fall football and no network money, all sports become club sports overnight.
so sad for those kids that have dedicated their whole life to swimming in hope for a scholarship. I pray it is not just the beginning 🙁
I thought about Coleman when I read this. Some other team will be lucky to get him! Hate when colleges cut swimming!
Mark Zelenz