Cuts at Northridge
By Cindy Luis
send shock waves
Star-BulletinFor the Cal State Northridge athletic department, it was nearly as devastating as the earthquake that rocked the campus in January of 1994. Four men's sports . . . gone. Effective immediately.
Volleyball, baseball, soccer -- the three most popular -- as well as swimming were eliminated Wednesday. Athletic director Paul Bubb's announcement sliced more than $500,000 in scholarships, salaries and operations costs from a budget estimated to be nearly $800,000 in the red.
Nearly 80 roster spots for male athletes were eliminated, resulting in a male-female ratio more reflective of the student population, as mandated by a 1992 agreement with the California chapter of the National Organization for Women. The entire Cal State University system was sued by the state NOW chapter for allegedly violating provisions of Title IX, federal civil rights legislation that guarantees equal opportunity for female and male athletes.
The Matadors men's volleyball team competed in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation along with the University of Hawaii. CSUN's baseball team won two national championships in Division II and made the Division I playoffs five of the past seven years.
"It's shocking that they dropped volleyball," Hawaii volleyball coach Mike Wilton said. "I just talked to John (CSUN volleyball coach Price) a few weeks ago. He felt their program would be OK."
"It's not good at all for the sport to lose another program. It's not good to lose a coach like John."
Wilton has just about wrapped up his recruiting. There apparently is no room for any CSUN players, who are eligible to transfer immediately.
Men's volleyball, with 57 collegiate teams in three NCAA divisions, is already below the minimum number required for NCAA championship sponsorship. The sport has been operating with a waiver that sanctions a championship tournament at the Division I level and, just this past season, at the Division III (nonscholarship) level.
The loss of the Matadors leaves the MPSF with 13 teams in two divisions. League officials were unsure what adjustments they would make next season to balance out the schedule.
One possibility that's been under discussion is for Brigham Young-Hawaii to join the MPSF. Conference officials have approached the Seasiders' athletic administration in the past, seeking a travel partner for the Rainbows.
Two years ago, when BYU-Hawaii sought to add enough sports to meet the minimum requirement to move from NAIA to NCAA Division II status (four sports each for men and women), men's soccer and women's softball were chosen.
"It would be great if we could add another sport," said Ken Wagner, BYU-Hawaii athletic director and men's basketball coach. "The decision (to go with men's soccer) was a financial one. Soccer was cheaper than volleyball.
"To add (men's volleyball) would mean we'd have to add another women's sport. We don't have the budget to do that."
The conference had also discussed adding the University of California, a successful club-level team. But Cal athletic director John Kasser said that move is "probably three years away."
"Volleyball is exploding at the high school level in Southern California," said Price, who led his team to eight straight winning seasons and finished second to UCLA in the 1993 NCAA final. "It's mind-boggling the university can't reflect Southern California.
"It's really tough when you do something and you're successful at it, and you're told you can't do it anymore. If it was mostly a budget issue, (Northridge has) eliminated three teams -- volleyball, baseball and soccer -- that have revenue potential."
Said UCLA volleyball coach Al Scates: "It's a real blow to men's volleyball on a national level. It's a shame. Northridge had a great program. Instead of adding women's sports, we're crippling men's Olympic sports."
The Los Angeles Daily News
contributed to this story.
