Very telling things about the current state of college soccer

Officially announced today. In summary, USSDA ends, many academies joining ECNL and MLS forming there own and entertaining interests from other academies....

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/04/15/u-s-soccer-announces-end-development-academy-operations
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020...aunches-new-elite-competition-youth-academies

 

University of Cincinnati
St. Edward’s University
Eastern Florida State College
Cloud County Community College

The list of 2020 casualties just keeps growing.

 

I am sorry if I missed the link, but I couldn't find info on Eastern Florida State College or their website. They really run a nice soccer program, sad. Can you post the link?

 

No link. I've heard from multiple (legitimate) sources that the program has been cut. The head coach has moved on, that doesn't mean the program is cut. But, everything I've heard is the program is gone.

 

When it rains, it pours. Cirrusly, high-level or low-level, the cumulustive effect of these cuts will be devastating.

 

I think there is a good chance that program will be back someday. A state JUCO is a different animal. Any idea what happened to the coaching staff, and is it both women’s and men, or just the men’s program?

 

Updated the list. 12 total programs have been lost in 2020 -- 3 of them is school closings. There have been 20 total in 2019 and 2020.

This is the most cuts in a single year by my records.

 

... not done yet. VERY challenging times ahead for All Men's Olympic Sports ... There could also be some FCS Football Teams that will be in trouble as well as those at the lower end of the Group of Five.

 

Urbana University in Ohio closes. A DII. That mean's Ohio has had an DI, DII, and NAIA all lose men's soccer (two lost the whole school) in 2020.

22 total programs gone in 2019 and 2020. Of those 10 have had schools closed.

That number could be seen as 21, one school closed, then reopened in August 2019 with a few athletic teams -- the men's team probably had the worst season ever for any school/program in history -- 0-9-0 with a -119 goal differential, only played 6 games and added 3 forfeits.

 

Ponchat has done a great job getting the information. Here is some extrapolation for us to discuss:

34 Division 1 schools dropped their program of which, 25 were state schools (73.5294%), 9 Private schools (26.4706%).

Of the dropped programs, 31 had football (91.1765 %) and 3 did not (8.8235%).

1 Reclassified to Division 3 (per Ponchat’s List) Brooklyn College, but I think Hartwick did last year as well.

As of today, No Division 1 school has closed. Although we might have that due to the pandemic.

3 Division 1 schools reinstated their programs and all three were private (100 %). Note one more Brooklyn was reinstated at the D3 Level. The ones reinstated were Huston Baptist, University of Pacific, and Mount St. Mary’s, and only one has football (HBU).

At the Division 2 Level 3 (20%) were state school and 13 were private (80%). 1 BYU Hawaii dropped all athletics private school. 4 Schools closed all private, 1 merged LIU Post a state school, and 4 private schools reinstated programs. This brings privates down to 9 private schools dropped programs in total.

The major reason I can find for a Division 1 to drop men’s soccer is money and football 91.2%. Of the 3 not football playing private school teams that dropped programs. All have reinstated it with one going to division 3.

So to sum up my hypothesis all schools will face a financial crisis. Privates are less likely to drop soccer without football. If you have a football program, then you will find the strain at the DI level. Why? Money. Ask New Mexico, Valpo, Cincinnati, SUNY Buffalo, Townsend, Richmond, Alabama A&M, Maine, Western KY, ECU, Vandy, Fresno State, TCU, The Citadel, and Charleston Southern all discontinued the sport since 2000, all had football, and none have returned and won’t until the money flows, and then most likely not. The needs of women to balance football exceeds the needs of other opportunities for women’s sports to balance football, and it cost too much to be competitive.

Next, most schools are dropping due to finances and gender equity. If you have football and you don’t need enrollment numbers (Charleston Southern is an outlier because they are private and are enrollment driven) then wrestling, soccer, men’s tennis, golf and any programs that would help offset losses are at risk. I’d add some women’s sports as well but due to Title IX they will be added to men’s cuts.

To be sure it will dire for all if this continues. Football is both a blessing and a curse. A fountain of money for some and a curse of keeping up with the Jones’ for others. Think New Mexico. They were spending for paying off two former coaches and had a new coach who needed more to just “Catch Up” with the other teams. With conferences putting in the waivers, I would brace that they could put programs on hiatus, some never to return. Other’s will slowly.

There is the funding issue. Private and state schools fund programs differently. The state may only chip in some money for athletics budgets, the rest is raised via football, basketball, donations, or student fees, but with no athletics soon they will get lean faster than privates. Why? Enrollment isn’t as big of a factor for state schools to operate the school. Private schools do make money from enrollment . 9.9 scholarships plus budget, plus salaries, plus any stackable aid leaves most on the positive side in net revenue. Remember, 100% of non football schools reinstated their programs to bring up enrollment. I would expect to see the zero closed schools at Division 1, but that barrier may be broken in this keeps up, because of enrollment decline and cost. If you read about Urbana at Division 2, declining enrollment plus virus = out of business. That will happen more and more that schools will close. It will happen that more and more D1 schools will ax programs. If the G5 and C22 get their way there will be waivers for minimum number of sports and if you have football it will be soccer that is the odd man out.

Thanks for Ponchat for the data.

 

Wow! Thank you. Excellent post.

 

Northern Vermont University is saved at least for the next year, so that saves 2 D3 men's and two women's programs. On the other hand Cal State Fullerton just announced that they will open only as an online college in the fall - no word yet about the impact on their athletics programs.

 

I assume most of you have seen this but this was sent out to college coaches from Rob Kehoe. If you haven't seen this please go on and sign and spread the word....

"United Soccer Coaches has joined in with the Intercollegiate Coach Association Coalition to oppose any discussion or decision that would lead to the reduction of sports sponsored at NCAA Division I schools. If such a decision is made it will likely have significant impact on D I soccer, for both men’s and women’s programs, and college sports broadly.
Following is a link to the campaign that includes a petition from which we will present results to the NCAA prior to next week’s Board of Directors and Presidents Forum meetings. It would be appreciated if you could circulate the petition through your networks and ask that players, parents and coaches (school and club) offer their support for saving college sports and the educational opportunities they provide.
https://www.savecollegesports.com

 

NCAA shelved blanket sports sponsorship minimums request, but will consider individual petitions
https://www.ncaa.org/about/resource...council-continues-covid-19-impact-discussions

 

Some good news for Olympic Sports. Not final but good news nonetheless.

 

Just for the heck of it I check in on some schedules, not expecting to find any of course. I would guess most are done or in the process but none will be announced until we get further along and things become more clear. Nobody knows? Camp starts in 3 months.

 

I found about 1/2 dozen schedules published. This is a bit early to expect much more. Usually June is the time that I would expect vast majority (except for Howard).

 

https://theundefeated.com/features/howard-soccer-hbcu-soccer-title/

 

I couldn't find the list of casualties - is D2 Notre Dame de Namur of San Jose, CA already on it? They have already dropped all athletics and it appears the whole college soon.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05...-mult-nl-morning-report-nl&utm_content=manual

 

Sure is on there.

https://ponchat.wordpress.com/so-long-mens-soccer/

 

Just read on Twitter that App State has cut men’s soccer

Appalachian State is eliminating men’s soccer, men’s tennis & men’s indoor track & field, sources told @Stadium

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 26, 2020

 

Think many presidents/boards are looking at the European model of school more closely (academics only). Let athletics be for outside clubs to fund...Might be 3-5 schools in the whole country that have a surplus in athletics at the end of each year..

 

What? No presidents are thinking like this. Zero.

They want athletics, because it attracts students. It attracts benefactors. It attracts sponsors.