http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2011/05/cleveland_state_university_dro.htmlCleveland State University, faced with budget cuts, has made the difficult decision to cut its baseball program at the end of this season.
Athletic director John Parry said the decision was not an easy one.
"Anytime you drop a sport, it's tough," he said. "You are taking away a draw for 25 young men."
Parry said the main reason for the cuts was a lack of facilities for the existing team, which practices and plays 25 miles off campus in Avon at All Pro Freight Stadium. But the fact the Vikings have not had a winning season since 1989, and are currently 9-32 this season, can't be ignored.
According to Parry, dropping baseball will save the athletic department $450,000. It will not affect CSU's membership in the Horizon League, as baseball is not a required sport for membership; and it will not impact CSU's NCAA status, as the Vikings still sponsor 16 varsity sports, two above the NCAA Division I minimum of 14.
Cleveland State athletics likely could have had a comparable savings by taking from every sports budget, but Parry said, "our instructions were not to nickel and dime cuts, but make strategic decisions."
The AD said CSU will honor any baseball player's scholarship if he chooses to finish his studies at CSU. Any player who transfers will be eligible to play at his new school immediately.
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This will take the league to 6 baseball members which I believe is the minimum to keep an NCAA tournament bid?
Perhaps YSU can get some players from CSU.
