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As part of an effort to “adapt to the rapidly changing NCAA landscape,” Loyola Marymount University has announced that six schools will be closed at the end of the 2023-24 season due to new name, image and likeness regulations and “pending adjudication.” It was announced that the exercise program would be discontinued. About student-athletes as employees.”
Los Angeles Jesuit University will eliminate three men’s teams (rowing, cross country, track and field) and three women’s teams (rowing, swimming, track and field). LMU said on its website that the decision affects approximately 115 student-athletes, as well as five full-time and two part-time coaches.
“Our goal is to provide the best student-athlete experience possible, and by focusing our limited resources on fewer programs, we are well-positioned to achieve that goal.” LMU athletic director Craig Pintens said in a letter posted on the school’s website Tuesday.
Pintens began a thorough evaluation of LMU’s athletics program last fall and, with the support of Chancellor Timothy Law Snyder, made the decision to reduce the number of school teams from 20 to the NCAA minimum of 14. A report based on that study was posted online Tuesday.
In an email responding to questions from the Times, Pintens said the study was driven by “a combination of all the important changes that have occurred and will occur” in NCAA regulations, particularly the relaxation of NIL rules. said that it was done.
“We are in a time of exponential and rapid change across the intercollegiate athletics world, and the LMU Athletics Department must also adapt to be competitive and successful in the future,” Pintens wrote. . “This was a complex decision made after careful consideration of a variety of internal and external factors, in consultation with external partners and selected university leaders.”
Pintens said an independent collective was recently formed by LMU boosters to support student-athletes. Additionally, the university said it had to hire new staff to handle NIL issues, including student-athlete education and the university’s compliance with NCAA rules.
“Schools that do not pay sufficient attention to NIL opportunities, education, and compliance may struggle to compete in the future, especially when considering transfer portals,” Pintens wrote, adding that “I We want to be prepared for whatever direction NIL takes,” he added. In the future, consideration needs to be given to the very high possibility that schools will be able to become involved in NIL within the framework of educational institutions and athletic departments. ”
The Lions compete in the NCAA Division I Non-Football and West Coast Conferences. The university said in a news release that to support affected student-athletes, “we honor the student’s athletic financial support if they remain at LMU for their undergraduate studies” and consider pursuing another school. It said it would provide support to students who decide to transfer.
Pintens told the Times that the university does not intend to cut any staff positions in connection with eliminating designated teams.
LMU swimmer Alena Sharp has started an online petition to save the soon-to-be-defunct program. As of Friday evening, her petition had more than 3,100 signatures.
“Starting a petition is something I don’t normally do, but I decided to do it after seeing the devastation felt by our athletes who have worked so hard for this opportunity,” Sharp wrote. . “I know I’m not alone. Together we can make this change happen.”
But no matter how many signatures the petition gathers, it may not help the affected sports. One of the questions about layoffs posted on the school’s FAQ page asks whether the decision can be reversed or reversed.
The school’s answer is “no.”
“The LMU athletic director made this decision with the full support of university leadership,” the website reads. “While we acknowledge this decision is disappointing, the university is confident that this path supports the best interests of our student-athletes and the goals of LMU Athletics.”
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