This is, unfortunately, the time of year when many a school will announce athletic cuts. It’s strategic from the school’s perspective in minimizing controversy — people are outraged for a month or two then leave for summer vacation. It’s unfortunate for student athletes beyond the obvious fact that they’ve just lost their sport, as it doesn’t afford underclassman a lot of time to transfer to a different school should they wish to continue competing. Yesterday saw two such announcements on cut programs:
The University of Nebraska at Omaha will move to the Summit League and drop two men’s sports this summer — wrestling and football. According to the school’s athletic director the move “will help the athletic program fix its money woes and Title IX violations and help renew interest in its sports teams.” Emphasis mine.
Meanwhile, UNC Greensboro announced yesterday that it will cut wrestling. As reported in the Times News, “The move, according to the university, will assist the school in its compliance with Title IX regulations, which are related to gender equity.”
So there you have it, three more cut teams added to the long list of programs that lost their future in the name of gender equity. When will the madness stop?