SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The University of San Francisco announced today that its men's and women's tennis programs will be discontinued at the conclusion of the current season.
 
In a statement shared with the university's faculty, staff, and students, Athletic Director Larry Williams and Vice President of Business and Finance Charlie Cross wrote: "USF's tennis programs have represented the university exceedingly well over many decades.  Our campus community and alumni body are proud of the current team and their hard work, commitment, and achievements in Division I and West Coast Conference competition."

Williams and Cross added that the difficult decision to discontinue the teams was made after careful consideration.

"At a time when USF is taking steps to become more efficient and implement cost savings across campus due to enrollment shortfalls, collegiate Athletics is experiencing unprecedented change on a national level," Williams said.  "Among these changes are the significantly expanded support services required for NCAA Division I competition.  Higher education institutions of all sizes must adapt in order to provide the best experience for all their student-athletes."

While USF's tennis programs represent relatively small numbers (16 players and four coaches), they are still expensive programs - in excess of $1 million - to operate annually, according to Williams. 

Williams and Cross said that the tennis players may opt to stay at USF or pursue opportunities at other universities.  If they choose to remain at USF, any scholarship commitments will be honored.
  
San Francisco Athletics does not anticipate discontinuing any other Division I sports at this time.

"Personally, I am very sorry that our players and coaches received this news today," Williams said.  "They did not expect their USF careers to be shortened in this way. We are doing everything we can to assist them as they chart their next steps and plan for their futures."
   
Why discontinue tennis?  Why now?
Two forces are currently at work that have created a very challenging financial situation for the university.  USF is taking steps university-wide to implement cost-savings across campus due to enrollment shortfalls.  This is not uncommon right now at many colleges and universities.  At the same time, athletics programs at colleges and universities of all sizes are coping with unprecedented change in operational requirements.  While relatively small, the USF tennis teams together cost in excess of $1 million annually to operate.  This difficult decision was made now in order to concentrate our resources more efficiently and better position our overall athletic program.
 
What will the players do?
Whatever our 16 players decide – whether they stay at USF or transfer to another university – we will support them.  If they received a scholarship and stay at USF, we will honor that commitment.  
 
What will the coaches do?
We are working with Human Resources and the individual coaches to determine their next steps in their careers.  We are grateful for their commitment to our students, our athletic program, and university.  
 
Will other USF sports be discontinued?
We have no plans at this time to discontinue any other Division I sports at USF.
 
How did you reach this decision?  Who and what was involved in the process of "careful consideration"?
The leadership of USF, including President Fitzgerald, engaged in discussions about discontinuing tennis.  Short and long-term financial projections; budgetary constraints; and the impact on students, the athletic program overall, and the university's strategic priorities were all factors and all were considered.
 
Did you attempt to raise funds to keep tennis?
We have attempted to raise funds for the USF tennis programs for many years. We have had limited success in raising funds and the amount raised has been a fraction of what would be necessary to fund and sustain the programs.
 
What if a group of alumni and donors raises the $1 million needed to operate the programs?
In order to be successful, the university would need to raise significantly more than the $1 million; funds would be needed for both year-to-year and ongoing costs.

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