After Old Dominion shut down wrestling program and Cincinnati eliminated men’s soccer from athletic department, Zips become first Division 1 school to cut cross country team due to economic shortfall associated with Coronavirus pandemic

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Akron celebrated a milestone in November when Marc Migliozzi became the first male athlete in program history to compete at the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Zips made history again Thursday by announcing they would be cutting their men’s cross country program, along with men’s golf and women’s tennis.

Akron is the first Division 1 school to eliminate either cross country team as a result of the economic challenges in the aftermath of the NCAA deciding to cancel all winter postseason and championship events March 12, including the Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, creating a projected $375 million shortfall of revenue for member institutions due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

Migliozzi, who finished 103rd at the NCAA cross country final, announced earlier this month he would be transferring to the University of Pittsburgh to compete as a graduate student-athlete in both indoor and outdoor track during the 2020-21 school year after the NCAA Division 1 Council made the decision March 30 to provide extra eligibility and potential scholarship relief for seniors in spring sports who had their seasons canceled.

By cutting the three programs, which affects 23 male and nine female student-athletes in addition to several coaches, Akron is expected to reduce scholarship and operating costs by $4.4 million next year.

“We understand that some may choose to leave Akron to continue in their sport at another university, and we have committed to offering them our full support throughout that process,” Akron Athletic Director Larry Williams said in a university press release.

“This is a difficult day for all of us. We have dedicated student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff who have embraced being a Zip and make tremendous contributions to campus life in class, in competition and in our greater community.”

The Zips are expected to keep the women’s cross country team, along with both men’s and women’s track and field programs in the upcoming school year.

Akron now sponsors 17 sports instead of 20 competing in the Mid-American Conference, including 10 women’s and seven men’s programs.

“These decisions are very difficult but they are important and necessary at this time,” Williams said. “This action aligns us with our Mid-American Conference peers in the total number of sports and is part of the ongoing effort to redesign the University to ensure that UA continues to invest in high-demand, high-quality academic programs.”

Akron joined Old Dominion, which cut its wrestling program, and Cincinnati’s decision to eliminate men’s soccer on the list of Division 1 schools to have reduced their amount of athletic programs as a result of the economic shortfall created by the Coronavirus pandemic. Florida International announced May 6 it would no longer compete in men’s indoor track and field, but would continue to field men’s cross country and outdoor track and field programs.