Sonoma State to Discontinue Tennis, Water Polo Teams

Sonoma State University on Wednesday said its men’s and
women’s tennis teams and the women’s water polo team will be discontinued at
the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

In a news release, SSU said discontinuing the three teams is
“part of continuing strategic effort to focus on the university’s
institutional mission while addressing current budget challenges.”

The three teams are not sponsored by the California
Collegiate Athletic Association, and their discontinuation will provide nearly
$800,000 for re-allocation and reinvestment in SSU’s intercollegiate athletics strategic
priorities.

SSU’s 14 sports teams, which included the discontinued
teams, were the most athletic programs of any National Collegiate Athletics
Association Division II institution within the California State University
system.

“This was a difficult decision driven in no small part
by the new financial realities facing our state, the California State
University system and SSU,” SSU president Judy Sakaki said.

Sakaki said the decision leaves SSU in a better position to support
existing athletic teams while protecting SSU’s commitment to student success in
academics.

“This is a decision we’ve made as a result of our
inability to adequately fund and serve 14 intercollegiate teams into the
future,” said Stan Nosek, co-interim athletic director at SSU.

“The savings realized by retaining only those sports
sponsored through the CCAA will be reinvested into providing scholarships and
services in support of student-athletes’ athletic and academic success,”
Nosek said.

The student-athletes in the tennis and water polo teams who currently
receive athletic aid and choose to remain at SSU will continue to receive their
financial support during the 2020-2021 academic year.

NCAA rules require student-athletes on the three teams to be
granted immediate athletic eligibility if they transfer to another university,
and SSU will assist with their transfer.

There will still be 11 sports teams at SSU: men’s and
women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s golf, as
well as baseball, softball, women’s cross country, women’s track and field and women’s
volleyball.

Sonoma State University is required to have a minimum of 10
teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

SSU is currently closed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus
pandemic.

Source: NBC Bay Area