Truman State University has eliminated the men’s tennis and wrestling teams as part of recent budget cuts.
The University asked Truman Athletics to reduce spending by $193,000 in response to Gov. Eric Greitens’ proposal to reduce state funding for higher education. Although the budget for fiscal year 2019 is not set, the University is planning for worst case scenario.
“Sport elimination is extremely difficult as it affects the lives of our students and staff,” Athletics Director Jerry Wollmering said in a public statement. “Athletics, along with every area on campus, is dealing with cost-cutting measures due to university revenue decreases and mandatory cost increases.”
Truman will remain affiliated with the Great Lakes Valley Conference and will still offer more varsity sports than other four-year public institutions in Missouri, excluding University of Missouri-Columbia. The decision to cut the two sports affects 17 returning student-athletes, one full-time and one part-time staff member, according to Wollmering’s statement.