OT - EMU eliminating four sports (softball, men's swim/dive, women's tennis, and wrestling)

Submitted by ChuckieWoodson on

Dear EMU alumni, 

Please see below for an announcement from the University:

Eastern Michigan University announced today, March 20, that it will reduce its intercollegiate athletic program by four sports, effective at the end of the 2018 spring season. The action is being taken as part of the University’s overall budget restructuring efforts.

Affected by the decision are the sports of softball, men’s swimming and diving, women’s tennis, and wrestling. With the change EMU, which previously led the MAC with 21 sports, will now have 17 sports (seven men’s sports and 10 women’s sports). This action in no way impacts Eastern’s affiliation with the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

The move affects 58 male student-athletes and 25 female student-athletes, and once realized an expense reduction of approximately $2.4 million.

Hate to see this - pretty crushing for a current student-athlete in one of these programs.

MGoBoard

Mr. Owl

March 20th, 2018 at 4:47 PM ^

They should scrap "Eagles" as their sports teams name & go with Emus.  Be original & have fun if you're not going to bother competing.  The EMU Emus!

Joined: 01/15/2015

MGoPoints: 344

DOBlue48

March 20th, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^

Sucks for all the kids affected. Hope they can keep schollie and stay or get release and go without sitting out. Pretty sure NCAA has provisions for that...amazingly. The whole MAC should drop football to FCS. I know a kid who played football as a freshman at Butler, and has transferred to WMU as preferred walkon. Level of play is similar. Football could then really compete and other sports...like Butler hoops, could stay DI and do very well. Butler plays DI in all sports other than football. Other teams compete well in their conference (big east) and football is not a massive financial burden. Any other problems I can solve today?

Joined: 10/21/2015

MGoPoints: 2156

SalvatoreQuattro

March 20th, 2018 at 6:15 PM ^

Not much, but much more than these other sports that attract very few fans, As an EMU alum I think they should drop to FCS or even D2. But they are all in on football. They want to spend $35 million on facility upgrades. Insane.

Joined: 11/30/2010

MGoPoints: 79667

M and M Boys

March 21st, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^

The legacies of those sports go back many, many years. This will disconnect significant EMU alumni and supporters and rich historical programs. The athletes and school image will suffer irreparable damage now and how does President Smith think this will help future EMU fundraising? The messy “confidential search” for a new EMU President produced leadership that is completely over their heads... FIre him!

Joined: 01/27/2016

MGoPoints: 7033