JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – East Tennessee State University (ETSU) has discontinued its Men’s Indoor Track & Field program, effective immediately.
A Monday release from ETSU states that current student-athletes on the team, as well as prospective athletes, were notified of the decision.
The university cited decreasing male enrollment at ETSU over the past few years, which ETSU states is a trend seen elsewhere across the nation. The release also states the university has a “need to focus limited financial and human resources and align athletics offerings with the shifting makeup of the student body in order to comply with Title IX regulations.”
Title IX requires that schools offer athletic programs and opportunities for both men and women in alignment with the enrollment of the schools.
“This was not a decision we made lightly,” ETSU Athletic Director Dr. Richard Sander said in the release. “But we have to make tough decisions sometimes to ensure we are providing the best possible experiences for our student-athletes as a whole and preserving the standard of excellence of our athletics programs.”
According to ETSU, the decision does not affect the Men’s Outdoor Track & Field program or cross country. The Women’s Indoor Track & Field is also not impacted by this decision.
