Numerous student athletes at Eastern Michigan University learned devastating news this week. The teams many of them have dedicated years to are being eliminated.
“I have worked my entire life to get here,” said Ariana Chretian, a softball team member.
“I don’t know what the future looks like right now,” said Samantha Isaly, also a member of the softball team.
The softball team, men’s swimming and diving, women’s tennis and the wrestling team are all being eliminated. The captain of the swimming team says he wants people to know it is not about the teams performance. The men’s swimming and dive team at EMU has been the Mid-American Conference Champion 34 times.
“To have this happen after all that, it just really hurts,” said Logan Burton, the swim team’s captain.
University leaders say enrollment decreased, forcing cuts across the board. The university asked athletics to cut $2 million. Cutting the four sports will save about $2.4 million a year.
The director of athletics says it is not something anyone wanted to see happen. He broke down in tears as he spoke during a press conference
“Twenty-five years ago I went through this. They cut my sport. I sat in their seat so I know exactly how they feel. Sorry. It hurts,” said Scott Wetherbee, EMU Director of Athletics.
The university says it will honor scholarships athletes impacted have been offered. At the same time, it says it made the announcement now to give them time to transfer to a school offering their sport if they choose to.
