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TexasTerror
February 7th, 2008, 06:14 PM
WKU has brought to an end men's soccer. It was the lone program of theirs that was not in the Sun Belt...

WKU Athletics To Discontinue Men’s Soccer Program
Feb 1, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. — Facing current and future budget reductions from the state government, the Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics announced Friday that it will discontinue sponsoring the men’s soccer program effective with the 2008-09 academic year.

“The current and future state budget cuts represent a genuine threat to our ability to successfully operate our intercollegiate athletic program at WKU,” said WKU Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig. “We first learned of the dire financial future of the Commonwealth barely a month ago. Since then, we have been totally consumed with devising a plan and strategies to operate more efficiently and with less financial capacity. Rather than dilute each of our 20 intercollegiate athletic programs and negatively impact the experience of all 440 student-athletes at WKU, we have determined the best course of action to be the elimination of one entire program.

http://www.wkusports.com/news.cgi?article=6010&sports=8
Dane96
February 7th, 2008, 06:30 PM
But we have enough dough to move up to the Sun Belch!

Yeah, the 60k savings is really going (whatever it is monetarily) to help a budget crunch.

Pathetic!
Grizalltheway
February 7th, 2008, 07:45 PM
I'm sure citdog will be happy. :D xnonono2x
Killtoppers90
February 7th, 2008, 09:21 PM
Much of the crunch is coming from the state removing $300K from the school's budget due to their OWN budget shortfalls.
Dane96
February 7th, 2008, 09:32 PM
Every state is in a budget crisis...EVERY ONE. You dont see schools dropping a program.

If you can rationally explain how men's soccer, one of the least costly sports, is going to meet the budget for WKU (of 300k the state is losing)...than MAYBE I will concede.

I have worked on enough State budgets to know this is bunk.

You have one full time and two part-time coaches...and 24 athletes.

Cost for team, excluding coaches-- 45k. Total cost after travel, etc...maybe 200k.
GannonFan
February 8th, 2008, 10:54 AM
Just a casualty of WKU moving up to FBS level.
walliver
February 8th, 2008, 11:39 AM
I guess it is cheaper to drop Men's Soccer than add new Women's sports.xnodx
wkuhillhound
February 9th, 2008, 10:55 AM
You also have to consider that the Sun Belt Conference does not have men's soccer. I feel sad for the current players for the soccer team. They can continue to have scholarships if they decide to stay at Western Kentucky which also a part of the announcement.
TexasTerror
February 9th, 2008, 11:41 AM
You also have to consider that the Sun Belt Conference does not have men's soccer. I feel sad for the current players for the soccer team. They can continue to have scholarships if they decide to stay at Western Kentucky which also a part of the announcement.

Wasn't WKU a member (affiliate) of the Missouri Valley?

Central Arkansas canned men's soccer, but the students rose a stink, found the funds and the program is still in existence -- problem is, they still lack a conference as well...
wkuhillhound
February 9th, 2008, 11:44 AM
Wasn't WKU a member (affiliate) of the Missouri Valley?

Central Arkansas canned men's soccer, but the students rose a stink, found the funds and the program is still in existence -- problem is, they still lack a conference as well...

Yes, that is correct.