UDC Eliminates Men's Cross Country and Women's Volleyball

February 1, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia Athletic Department announced that it will be eliminating the Men's Cross Country and Women's Volleyball programs effective in the fall of 2013. The decision is consistent with the university's rightsizing plan that was announced last week. The student-athletes affected will be able to remain at the university, and their grant-in-aid will be honored through their graduation date.

Director of Athletics, Patricia Thomas, had this to say about the elimination: "This has been a very difficult decision for the University of the District of Columbia. Given the cost containment environment in which we are currently operating, unfortunately we have no choice but to make some dramatic changes. We are in the midst of university rightsizing and position eliminations, and athletics has been impacted along with the rest of the university. We remain committed to the overall development of our student-athletes and to remaining an East Coast Conference and NCAA Division II member institution. We also remain exceptionally committed to gender equity as evidenced by the recent addition of women's lacrosse in fall 2013 and the future addition of women's swimming."

The University of the District of Columbia is an NCAA Division II member institution, competing in the East Coast Conference. The university announced on September 25, 2012 that it would be adding Men's and Women's Lacrosse programs for competition in the spring of 2014. With the elimination of Men's Cross Country and Women's Volleyball, the University of the District of Columbia will sponsor 10 intercollegiate athletic programs, which is the NCAA Division II minimum sport sponsorship requirement. The other sports the university offers include: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis, women's cross country, men's soccer, and women's indoor and outdoor track.