In a release on Tuesday May 19, Central Michigan University Athletic Director Michael Alfred announced that the men’s indoor and outdoor track team will be discontinued due the “strategic budget planning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This move will save the University just over $600,000.
36 ATHLETES WITHOUT TEAM
The 36 current athletes left without a team are free to transfer without penalty and will have their scholarships honored for their academic career at Central Michigan.
Another consequence of this measure is that it puts Central Michigan’s FBS Division 1 status in jeopardy. The NCAA requires schools to have 16 varsity sports (CMU has 16) including 6 men’s programs (CMU has just 5).
Central Michigan’s next move to remain Division 1 eligible will be to either add another men’s program or receive a waiver from the NCAA. CMU’s Athletic Director Michael Alfred said in a conference call that CMU has applied for the waiver.
CMU FIRST TO CUT ENTIRE PROGRAM
Central Michigan is the first university in the state to announce cutting an entire program. Western Michigan announced cuts to the salary of head football coach Tim Lester and Eastern Michigan announced a seven percent cut to the salaries of their athletic director, head football coach Chris Creighton, men’s basketball coach Rob Murphy and women’s basketball coach Fred Castro.
