California Student Athletes are forced to pack up their bags amid university athletic cuts.
California Baptist University’s Vice President of Athletics Micah Parker announced that 3 athletic programs would be cut to focus on other succeeding teams.
Men’s golf, swimming, and wrestling are doing everything they can to ensure the university keeps the sports, stating that many out-of-state students are being forced to pack their bags and leave.
In a recent interview with KTLA 5, Freshman Adonis Bonar II expressed his concerns about competing for the Division I school as an out of state student.
“Knowing that I have to pack my stuff up and just leave everything I have here with my brother…sucks” – Adonis Bonar II
Parker had expressed that it took some time and prayer with deep consideration on what programs to keep and which to get rid of. He expressed that his reasoning to do so was to put more focus on other succeeding teams.
The news came as a shock to many of the student athletes and coaches as they were not advised that this would be happening. Freshmen CBU wrestler Richie Clementi says he was advised of this before practice even started.
“Like it was kind of just like, we sat there in silence for like five minutes before we looked around and people were crying and it’s like, holy, this is real” said Celmenti.
Some of the athletes and alumni have posted on social media asking for donations towards the programs as well as starting fundraisers to help fund the teams without the schools financial help.
However, the school has stated that despite these funds and donations, they still plan on moving forward with canceling the programs. The decision comes after wanting to even out the sports teams between girls and boys on behalf of Title IX which focuses on equality for both genders.
Many athletes, students, and alumni have gone out and protested the cancellations of these teams since CBU held the only Division I Wrestling program in all of Southern California.
