Clemson dropping three men’s sports
Clemson University athletics is cutting three programs.
The university announced on Thursday that it is discontinuing men’s track and field and men’s cross country. Track and field includes the indoor seasons and outdoor seasons, which are two different NCAA sports.
The programs will finish out the 2020-21 academic year, before being discontinued effective June of 2021.
“First and foremost, we understand the disappointment and heartbreak of our student-athletes that comes with this difficult news,” Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “Many of our student-athletes and coaches have worked their entire lives to compete and coach at the Division I level, and this is certainly an emotional day for them. We appreciate their hard work, effort and pride in representing Clemson University.”
Clemson expects to save more than $2 million each year from the cuts and says it will reinvest that money into other athletic department initiatives, including other Olympic sports. Clemson will also use the savings to provide additional financial stability for the department moving forward. Clemson Athletics has already taken several significant measures to address a projected resource shortfall of $25 million this fiscal year, the release said.
Thursday’s decision was made in part due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but Radakovich made it clear that there were several factors involved.
“Clemson Athletics periodically reviews our sport sponsorships ... and makes changes based on several factors including, but not limited to: competitive balance, gender equity and Title IX compliance, financial positioning, impact on diversity among student-athletes and staff, and local and national interest and participation in the sport,” Radakovich said. “In this case, the timing and decision are not a result of any one factor, but a series of considerations.”
Clemson student-athletes impacted by the decision will continue to have access to sports medicine, academic support, career development, mental health services and strength and conditioning facilities while enrolled at Clemson, Radakovich announced. Clemson will also assist any student-athlete who chooses to transfer to another institution and fulfill all of the coaching contracts currently in place.
The decision is final and will not be revisited, the school said. The athletics department will sponsor 16 programs moving forward, including women’s track and field and cross country.
Men’s track and field has been sponsored at Clemson since 1953, claiming 23 combined ACC Team Championships, 16 individual NCAA champions, 22 Olympians and four Olympic Gold Medalists.
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 2:42 PM.
