THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN DISCONTINUES FOOTBALL
The University Of New Haven discontinues football program; Athletics Department keeps focus on remaining 15 Division II Sports
WEST HAVEN, CT, Jan. 29, 2004 – The University of New Haven (UNH)
announced today that it would discontinue four athletic programs, including football, women’s golf, women’s indoor track and field, and women’s outdoor track and field, effective fall of 2004.
A number of factors contributed to this decision, including the difficulty to achieve a regional schedule, change in NCAA-selection criteria for post-season play in football, and need to balance and prioritize expenditures across all of the university’s athletic programs. Given the nationally recognized concern about the increasing cost of higher education, UNH concluded that it could not increase resources for its athletic programs, in light of the increased need for academic and capital funding.
Following today’s decision, the university will continue to sponsor 15 varsity athletic programs consisting of eight men’s teams and seven women’s teams. All programs will continue to compete at the Division II level and will strive to bring national recognition to the university. These programs are: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis, men’s indoor track, men’s outdoor track, and men’s and women’s volleyball.
The discontinuation of football will break a string of 31 consecutive seasons of college football. The program started competing at the Division III level in 1973, until it was elevated to Division II in 1982. At the Division II level, the football program enjoyed competitive success, advancing to the Division II National Championship game in 1997. The team also appeared in four NCAA championship playoffs. The program has competed as an independent Division II team playing a national schedule for the last 18 years.
“For the University of New Haven, at this time, this is the best decision for our athletic programs. The combination of constrained resources, our inability to get a regional schedule for football, and the change in the NCAA football selection criteria for next year, left us with no other viable alternative. We do recognize the disappointment this decision brings to our student-athletes, their parents, fellow students, our coaches, staff and alumni,” says Deborah Chin, Director of Athletics.
Chin adds, “All student athletic scholarships will be honored along with staff contracts. Our focus now will be to assist any student athlete who wishes to continue his or her playing career. A process is in place to assist student athletes who wish to transfer to other institutions, and to provide general academic advice.”
UNH, founded in 1920 and located in West Haven, Conn., is a private, independent coeducational institution serving approximately 4,400 full and part-time students. The mission of UNH is to prepare students for tomorrow so they may excel in their chosen fields.
WEST HAVEN, CT, Jan. 29, 2004 – The University of New Haven (UNH)
announced today that it would discontinue four athletic programs, including football, women’s golf, women’s indoor track and field, and women’s outdoor track and field, effective fall of 2004.
A number of factors contributed to this decision, including the difficulty to achieve a regional schedule, change in NCAA-selection criteria for post-season play in football, and need to balance and prioritize expenditures across all of the university’s athletic programs. Given the nationally recognized concern about the increasing cost of higher education, UNH concluded that it could not increase resources for its athletic programs, in light of the increased need for academic and capital funding.
Following today’s decision, the university will continue to sponsor 15 varsity athletic programs consisting of eight men’s teams and seven women’s teams. All programs will continue to compete at the Division II level and will strive to bring national recognition to the university. These programs are: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis, men’s indoor track, men’s outdoor track, and men’s and women’s volleyball.
The discontinuation of football will break a string of 31 consecutive seasons of college football. The program started competing at the Division III level in 1973, until it was elevated to Division II in 1982. At the Division II level, the football program enjoyed competitive success, advancing to the Division II National Championship game in 1997. The team also appeared in four NCAA championship playoffs. The program has competed as an independent Division II team playing a national schedule for the last 18 years.
“For the University of New Haven, at this time, this is the best decision for our athletic programs. The combination of constrained resources, our inability to get a regional schedule for football, and the change in the NCAA football selection criteria for next year, left us with no other viable alternative. We do recognize the disappointment this decision brings to our student-athletes, their parents, fellow students, our coaches, staff and alumni,” says Deborah Chin, Director of Athletics.
Chin adds, “All student athletic scholarships will be honored along with staff contracts. Our focus now will be to assist any student athlete who wishes to continue his or her playing career. A process is in place to assist student athletes who wish to transfer to other institutions, and to provide general academic advice.”
UNH, founded in 1920 and located in West Haven, Conn., is a private, independent coeducational institution serving approximately 4,400 full and part-time students. The mission of UNH is to prepare students for tomorrow so they may excel in their chosen fields.
posted by Don @ 2/07/2004 03:27:00 AM
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