March 8, 2005

SAULT STE. MARIE - For the second time in its history, Lake Superior State University is terminating its varsity golf program.

Citing an inability to provide for the sport financially, Director of Athletics Bill Crawford, announced Monday that LSSU would drop golf as a varsity sport immediately, and that the golf team would not compete in the spring portion of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) season.

"It is not necessary, nor is it financially responsible for us to sponsor golf this spring," said Crawford in announcing his decision. "We have met the 2004-05 NCAA requirements for membership. We did that in the fall. We are struggling to field a team this spring, with only four eligible players, and we have not supported the sport as well as necessary since returning it to varsity status in the mid 1990s. We really do not have a lot of choice. We cannot afford to operate the golf team in this manner. Making this decision now will help other Laker eams."

The elimination of golf will recoup about $9000 in operating funds. The program existed in the 1960s and was eliminated in the early 1970s. It was brought back in 1994 to help meet GLIAC and NCAA membership requirements.

The NCAA calls for a golf team of five eligible athletes to take part in a minimum of six meets annually. The Lakers entered five athletes in seven meets in the fall, meeting the requirement for this athletics season.

Eliminating golf leaves LSSU with five men's sports and six women's sports. Starting in August, NCAA membership requirements call for minimum five men's and five women's teams or four men's teams and six women's teams. At least two men's and women's offerings must be team sports and at least one team must play in each of the three seasons: fall, winter, spring.

Lake Superior State sponsors hockey and basketball as men's team sports, with the individual sports of cross country, tennis, track and golf. Women's team sports include basketball, volleyball and softball. Women's individual sports are cross country, tennis and track.

"We cannot afford the golf program," said Crawford. "We do not pay the coach enough to warrant him coaching, recruiting, traveling, overseeing a budget and taking care of the athletes. Our budget does not permit us to properly provide for the team's equipment or travel needs, and we have spread our budgets too thin in too many areas for too many years. The changes in NCAA membership requirements permit us to make this change. We do not like the idea of ending a program, especially one that is relatively inexpensive to run, but the number of eligible athletes this spring has forced an immediate decision."

Athletics costs are soaring, and all Laker teams must raise more funds and make more revenue. Reliance on booster groups and the financial support created through special events and fund-raising activities are paramount to Laker Athletics.

Institutions all over Michigan and the country are eliminating programs to help with tight budgets. Lake Superior State last eliminated a program in 1993 when wrestling was cut to meet a budget crunch.