Saint Francis College (Brooklyn) Eliminates Athletics

[Guest]

During the Fall, people were wondering how long the women's soccer coach had to demonstrate that they were capable of building a program. It looks like we have our answer.

As part of the school's restructuring, they're discontinuing their intercollegiate athletic program. From the school's website:

Elimination of Athletics

The St. Francis College Board of Trustees and Leadership are responding to these challenges by acting decisively with plans in place to benefit the College and the students we serve.

Accordingly, the Board of Trustees recently approved a strategic realignment plan which includes the elimination of the College’s NCAA Division I athletics program, effective at the conclusion of the Spring 2023 semester.

[Guest]

Now what will become of all these student athletes. Students have come to this college from many different States to play D1 sports.

[Guest]

Now what will become of all these student athletes. Students have come to this college from many different States to play D1 sports.

Its a tough situation. Students athletes are guaranteed their scholarship money. Coaches will do their best to help players find new homes but I beleive the transfer window is closed for next year. Perhaps an exception can be made in this situation. Some athletes won't be able to find a new home regardless. Older ones will probably stay and finish out their schooling. The further along you are in your major the harder it is to transfer all your credits and graduate on time.

Over 200 sports teams were cut in the Covid aftermath but it was typically 1-2 per school, not a wholesale drop. Smaller schools are struggling to survive. Dropping a few teams doesn't save them that much money but it makes it look like administrators are doing something

[Guest]

Not a long lived soccer program on the women’s side.

[Guest]

There is a seismic shift coming to Universities and Colleges in the northeast over the next three years (starting in Fall 2025) as high school graduation numbers plummet and weaker institutions come under greater financial stress. St. Francis College (along with others in the region) are facing that fiscal reality.

With ~2000 undergraduates, decreasing freshman class size, and an endowment of only $40M, it does not take long to calculate that a 5% return on that endowment is $2M which covers all scholarship activity at the college.

The numbers simply no longer add up. Honestly, do not worry about the athletic programs; be more concerned whether the institution folds in its entirety.

[Guest]

The athletics programs have been a red-headed stepchild since the campus move was started. From their web site ... translation : all done.

HOW WILL THE NEW CAMPUS SUPPORT ATHLETIC PROGRAMS?
SFC’s outdoor sports will practice and compete at various offsite outdoor locations when SFC relocates, as they do currently while SFC is on Remsen Street.

We will continue to use the Remsen Street campus for our indoor sports, including basketball, volleyball and aquatics until at least September 2022.

As our new campus will not include a gym or pool, we are evaluating options including potential partnerships with nearby educational institutions to use their facilities in the short term, for practice and competitions, once we relocate.

[Guest]

There is a seismic shift coming to Universities and Colleges in the northeast over the next three years (starting in Fall 2025) as high school graduation numbers plummet and weaker institutions come under greater financial stress. St. Francis College (along with others in the region) are facing that fiscal reality.

With ~2000 undergraduates, decreasing freshman class size, and an endowment of only $40M, it does not take long to calculate that a 5% return on that endowment is $2M which covers all scholarship activity at the college.

The numbers simply no longer add up. Honestly, do not worry about the athletic programs; be more concerned whether the institution folds in its entirety.

Smaller institutions or those without top name cache and endowments have to adapt or die.

[Guest]

The Northeast Conference is in trouble. They have added D2 schools such as Merrimack and Stonehill bottom feeders Howard and next up Delaware State for women’s soccer. Who will be the next school added ? Lemoyne, New Haven ? Do they lose anyone else? Sacred Heart has invested in hockey millions and LIU and Wagner having so many sports they could be looking to jump ship. Next month or so will be interesting to say the least

[Guest]

U Hartford dropped out of D1. They saw the writing on the wall

[Guest]

There is a seismic shift coming to Universities and Colleges in the northeast over the next three years (starting in Fall 2025) as high school graduation numbers plummet and weaker institutions come under greater financial stress. St. Francis College (along with others in the region) are facing that fiscal reality.

With ~2000 undergraduates, decreasing freshman class size, and an endowment of only $40M, it does not take long to calculate that a 5% return on that endowment is $2M which covers all scholarship activity at the college.

The numbers simply no longer add up. Honestly, do not worry about the athletic programs; be more concerned whether the institution folds in its entirety.

Now imagine living in a small, rural town that depends on the local institute of higher education for jobs, tex revenue, etc ...

It's not just going to be the colleges that get crushed by the small towns as well.

https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23...ducation-crash

[Guest]

What happens to the players? Do they still get their scholarships? Can they transfer still?

[Guest]

How can a school do that? How many students are effected? Do they stay or transfer to another school

[Guest]

Schools usually honor the remaining scholarships. Student athletes can transfer IF they can find a new home. There's loads of kids in the transfer portal that never find homes, even ones from better programs than this one. Older kids will have a harder time moving because of deeper ties to the school as it gets harder to transfer credits for more specialized major-specllific classes

[Guest]

Well that didn't take long, looks like Le Moyne College (Syracuse, NY) is going to be taking SFC's place in the NEC.

https://lemoynedolphins.com/news/202...phinsGoD1.aspx

[Guest]

So did the players find schools? What is NEC doing with the schedule?