St. Francis Brooklyn to Eliminate Entire Athletics Program

The school announced an end to their athletics programs due to financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

St. Francis College in Brooklyn announced that the school has made the decision to eliminate its entire athletics program.

The decision, which comes on the heels of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, was delivered by director of athletics Irma Garcia on Monday.

“Terrier Family, I come to you today to share the news of a decision I never anticipated during my time at St. Francis College,” the statement began. “I am heartbroken that a decision has been made to eliminate the College’s athletics program, effective at the conclusion of the spring 2023 semester. My heart hurts for our student-athletes, coaches and staff.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible impact on St. Francis College, and as a result, Terrier Athletics. To ensure that student-athletes can continue their studies at SFC uninterrupted, the College will honor all current academic and athletic scholarships, even though students will no longer be participating in athletics…”

While several colleges and universities across the country cut athletics programs during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial implications were felt more severely at smaller colleges and universities. 

The decision by St. Francis Brooklyn is not unlike other trying situations across college athletics, but it is the first school that has announced a cut to the university athletic programs in quite some time, especially since the height of the pandemic has passed.