University of Maryland Men’s Tennis Could be Chopped

Written by: Staff on 23rd November 2011

University of Maryland Men's Tennis Could be Chopped |

A commission charged with dealing with the multimillion dollar deficit in University of Maryland athletics has recommended that the men’s tennis team be eliminated, along with seven other programs.

Men’s tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, cross-country, men’s swimming and diving; women’s swimming and diving, women’s water polo; and aerobics and tumbling are on the chopping blocks. The Washington Post reported that some 166 Terrapin student-athletes could be affected.

The panel also calls for a 10 percent reduction in athletic administration costs. The final decision about whether to reduce the number of Maryland varsity teams from 27 to 19 belongs to the university’s administration.

“Besides a relative dying, this has been one of the worst times in my life, having to face these young people and tell them of the possibility of us discontinuing their programs,” Maryland Athletic Director Kevin Anderson told the Post.

Maryland’s athletic department had to borrow $1.2 million from the university to cover last year’s deficit and this year it’s expected to balloon to $4 million, and top $17 million by 2017 unless changes are made.

The proposed team cuts would pare roughly $3.5 million to $5 million from its $57.7 million annual budget.

The proposed cuts could prompt renewed philanthropy, where donors help raise enough money to save the teams. That happened last year at the University of California-Berkeley when the baseball and rugby teams were saved by private donations

Sadly, if the cuts come to pass, it will come at a terrible time for the rising Maryland men’s tennis team, which last season finished ranked No. 39, one of the best showings in school history. The Terps knocked off Florida State in the opening round of the NCAA Championships, their first opening-round win in 22 years.

They have been coached the past two years by former USC standout Kyle Spencer, who also coached Baylor, as well as ATP players Robert Kendrick and Ashley Fisher.

“DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”