SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE DISCONTINUES INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL

SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE DISCONTINUES INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL; WILL
STRENGTHEN OVERALL ATHLETIC PROGRAM

MORAGA, CA (March 3, 2004) – Brother Craig Franz, F.S.C., president of
Saint Mary’s College of California, today announced a reallocation of
College resources to strengthen the College’s diverse intercollegiate,
club and recreational sports programs. As a result, Saint Mary’s is
discontinuing its participation in intercollegiate football, effective
immediately.

“This difficult decision is the result of thoughtful and lengthy
discussions over recent years about the competitive and financial
realities confronting all higher educational institutions of our size,”
said Brother Craig. “Based on recommendations made to our Board of
Trustees by an Athletics Review Task Force on the best way to optimize
our athletic resources, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously earlier
today to discontinue the Saint Mary’s football program, and to
reallocate those resources to our 14 other intercollegiate sports
programs.”

The 18-member Athletics Review Task Force included former and current
Gael student-athletes, coaches, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and
regents. They were charged with reviewing and evaluating all aspects of
Saint Mary’s student athletic programs.

“Given the significant financial and support requirements for fielding a
football team capable of competing against our Division I-AA peers, as
well as the impact on funding for our other intercollegiate teams, the
board agreed that the best way to serve the athletic needs of our entire
student population is to discontinue this one program,” said Nicholas
Moore, chairman of the Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees.
Saint Mary’s will honor all existing football personnel contracts and
grants-in-aid commitments to affected coaches and student-athletes. The
College is offering career, academic and personal counseling services
during the transition period, and has been in contact with the NCAA to
support those student-athletes who choose to pursue athletic
opportunities at other colleges and universities.

“We are proud of the remarkable contributions our football program has
made to Saint Mary’s over some 75 years and deeply grateful to our
coaches, our players, the families and fans whose invaluable support is
so intrinsic to the spirit of our College,” said Brother Craig. “We are
all saddened by this painful decision, but it is our obligation to care
for the academic and athletic experiences of all of our students.”

With today’s decision, Saint Mary’s joins a growing list of some 30
colleges and universities across the United States whose resource
requirements have resulted in the discontinuation of intercollegiate
football programs in order to serve a broader range of student athletic
and recreational programs.

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Saint Mary’s College of California is one of the most distinguished
colleges in the West. The College’s reputation for excellence,
innovation and responsiveness comes from its heritage as a Catholic,
Lasallian, and liberal arts institution. This heritage creates a
personalized, student-centered learning community. Saint Mary’s offers
undergraduate and graduate programs in liberal arts and professional
education. The College is located in Moraga, 20 miles east of San
Francisco


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Rich Davi
Saint Mary's College
Sports Information Director
Office Phone: 925.631.4402
Fax: 925.631.4405
e-mail: rdavi@stmarys-ca.edu