EL PASO, Texas (AP) — UTEP disbanded its women's tennis program after more than four decades last week, citing increasing costs.
The school said the costs of scholarships, facility rental fees, travel and its overall operating budget continue to rise. It says discontinuing women's tennis will allow the school to allocate more money toward the remaining 16 athletic programs and “create more opportunities” for female athletes.
Athletic director Jim Senter noted the “unprecedented change” across college athletics, with schools expecting to soon be allowed to pay athletes directly — up to $20.5 million per school next season — and recruiting now often tied to how much endorsement money an athlete can expect.
The impacts are expected to hit schools big and small. Last month, Cal Poly has announced the immediate elimination of its men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs in a move attributed to the financial hardships expected because of looming revenue sharing with Division I athletes.
UTEP's announcement cited “upcoming changes to college athletics, including revenue sharing and roster caps.”
“We made this decision following a thoughtful analysis and with a heavy heart,” Senter said Friday. “Our women’s tennis student-athletes have represented the university in a first-class manner for over 40 years and have often set the standard for academic achievement among all our sports programs."
UTEP does not have an on-campus tennis facility, and the school said building one is too expensive. The team was playing at a club near campus.
The school said it will continue to honor scholarships for players who choose to stay at UTEP. Coaches will remain employed for the remainder of their contracts.
UTEP started women's tennis in the 1983-84 season and dropped its men's program in 1999. The NCAA mandates that Bowl Subdivision schools field a minimum of 16 programs.
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