University Announces Men's Track Will Continue Beyond 2020-21

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Clemson University stunned the track and field world last fall when it announced that it would cut the men's track and field team. 

On Thursday, the university reversed that decision after months of push-back from stakeholders in the #SaveClemsonXCTF movement. 

The university's release said:

"Following months of discussion with student-athletes, their representatives, families, supporters and others, Clemson University and the Department of Athletics announced today it will continue men’s outdoor and indoor track & field and cross country programs as varsity sports. In addition, Clemson Athletics will add one or more women’s varsity sports in its continuing commitment to gender equity and to supporting our female students’ championship aspirations.  A decision on which sport(s) to be added will be made in the near future." 

One of most effective voices in the fight to save the program at Clemson belonged to Russell Dinkins, who previously worked to overturn similar program cuts by Brown University, the University of Minnesota and the College of William & Mary. 

Dinkins argued successfully that cutting men's track and field eliminated important pathways to admissions for African-Americans. 

Colin Gallagher, one of the leaders of the #SaveClemsonXCTF movement, said he and others in the group knew they had momentum on their side recently and were prepared for the university's announcement. 

"Filing two Title IX lawsuits was huge. Those were game-changers," Gallagher said. "This was the first time (Title IX) has been successfully applied to save a men's program. And it was done in unison with a lawsuit filed by the women's program, in support of us."

Early on, after the surprised Sept. 5 statement by Clemson's athletic director that the men's program would be cut, Gallagher sought Dinkins' help. 

"He was huge for us early on, organizing us, giving us structure and being the spear-head to get this done," Gallagher said. 

The university did not address Dinkins' racial disparity argument in its new statement Thursday, instead pointing to "revised financial projections" that showed that COVID-19 did not impact the athletic department as severely as it once feared.