The announcement stung worse than taking lacrosse ball to the chest. On Jan. 25, Ohio University announced it was eliminating three sports programs, including women?s lacrosse, due to funding issues. One day later, Butler University announced plans to eliminate two programs, including men?s lacrosse.
Those decisions produced a ripple effect that stretched from the Midwest to Maryland. Sixteen Ohio players, three Butler players and both teams? head coaches are from this area and are now without teams to call their own.
“We had no idea what wasgoing on until the second they told us,” said Ohio junior midfielder Amanda Diehl, who went to Westminster High. “You always hear about funding issues, but we never expected our program to be cut.”
Ohio athletic director Kirby Hocutt declined to comment through a university spokesman. However, in a Jan. 25 press conference, he alluded to financial and Title IX considerations in the school?s decision. Butler athletic director Barry Collier could not be reached for comment.
Players from both programs are now weighing their options. Many players, whose eligibility is not affected by the cancellations, are exploring possible transfer opportunities, including midfielder Jeremy Sieverts (McDonogh), who has transferred to Maryland, according to Butler coach Stan Ross.
There is also the option of players staying at their current schools, where their scholarship packages will be honored. Diehl said she and other upperclassmen might stay at Ohio rather than risk losing credits. But another Bobcat, sophomore defender Colleen Nevin (Mount de Sales), said she would almost certainly play elsewhere next year.
“I went to Ohio because I wanted to see something different away from home,” Nevin said. “But I have to look at the rosters at different schools because most have already locked up their recruiting class for next year. We were all shocked and upset about the whole thing, but we need to move on and get past it.”
The elimination of the two programs also had an impact on local teams that had them on their schedule. Last Monday?s women?s game between Maryland and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County was a result of both teams needing a replacement contest for Ohio.
Also, the UMBC men?s scheduled season-opener against Butler got canceled, while Towson scrambled to add Division II Molloy College (N.Y.) for a March 3 game that won?t count toward its tournament résumé.
U.S. Lacrosse executive director Steve Stenersen said the sport is hurt whenever a program is eliminated. But he believes the Butler and Ohio cancellations are isolated incidents and not a reflection of the stability of lacrosse as a whole. On the women?s side, there are now 80 Division I programs, and more are set to launch in the next few years, including Navy in 2008. The men?s side is now down to 56 Division I programs.
“We?ve been extremely lucky to have the stability we?ve had on the men?s side through the years in this Title IX era,” Stenersen said. “The situation at Ohio is very counter intuitive to the growth of the women?s game.”
That assessment does little to help Ohio coach Allison Valentino or Butler?s Ross. Both coaches played college lacrosse at Loyola.
“I didn?t see it coming, although I can now look back and see some signs,” Ross said. “Right now, I have to find homes for all of my current players and 16 recruits. Then, I?ll figure out what I?m going to do next.”
