The University of South Alabama, the reigning Big South champion, became the latest school to drop men’s soccer when director of athletics Joe Gottfried announced at a press conference Feb. 3 in Mobile, Ala., that the program has been dropped effective immediately. “Because of our financial concerns, gender equity and the stability of a long-range menÆs soccer conference, we have made the decision to eliminate menÆs soccer as one of our intercollegiate sports,” said Gottfried. “With gender equity and our NCAA peer review report, there is a need to provide moneys to improve the womenÆs sports as well as the existing sports.” USA will now field 15 intercollegiate sports: baseball, volleyball, womenÆs soccer and both a menÆs and womenÆs team in basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, indoor track and outdoor track. The USA soccer team won five straight Sun Belt titles between 1991 and 1995 but never reached the NCAA tournament. After the Sun Belt discontinued soccer in 1996, the Jaguars moved to the Big South. It won the conference tournament title this past fall and lost to UNC Greensboro, 1-0, a play-in. The following was the statement released by USA president V. Gordon Moulton: “Discontinuing a program — especially one that has enjoyed as much success on the field as menÆs soccer — is difficult under any circumstances. Like many other universities that recently have dropped various sports, we are faced with the challenge of meeting our increasing costs with limited financial resources, as well as the need and requirement to balance our sports participation to fairly reflect the gender mix of our student population. Consequently, I concur with the recommendations of athletic director Joe Gottfried and the University Athletic Council to drop menÆs soccer from the UniversityÆs intercollegiate athletic program.” “The decision has been particularly difficult because of the caliber of student-athletes and coaches who have represented the University in menÆs soccer over the years, including the current team and coaching staff. Typically, these young men have excelled not only in their sport, but, also, in their classroom and in other areas of student life. The University will continue the scholarship of any student-athlete who wishes to continue his education here. “We appreciate, also, their service to local soccer youth programs in the community. We hope to be able to continue that type of support in other ways that might be within the resources of our athletic department. Our womenÆs team, students, and coaches will continue to support the excellent community organizations involved in promoting soccer for youth in this area. Also, we will respond to our male students and their interests in playing competitive soccer by supporting club soccer on our campus.” Following the ’98 Big South championship, Big South announced it would no longer accept South Alabama nor other institutions as associate members, beginning with the next season. “We are constantly concerned with the overall success of our overall program as evidenced by winning the prestigious Sun Belt Conference CommissionerÆs Cup in eight of the past 11 seasons,” said Gottfried. “We have had a tremendous success in our soccer program over the years. “There is an enormous pressure financially. Because of shortfalls in revenue, the entire university community has been asked to tighten their belts and reduce expenditures in their programs. Any major changes becomes controversial because it breaks away from past traditions. For example, soccer has been a very successful program, one of the few programs where many student-athletes have had a direct impact in the community where they serve as coaches for the various high school programs.” According to Gottfried, South Alabama joins 50 other NCAA institutions that have dropped 82 sports in the 1997-98 year. Miami (Ohio) University trustees are to vote tomorrow, Feb. 6, to decide whether to drop four men’s programs, including soccer.