Ohio University Athletic Department's Worst Decision

Nice article.

Hopefully, someday they will Bring Back Ohio Track!!

http://bringingbackohiotrack.blogspot.com

sounds like they pissed someone off about a title IX violation. I have heard of this school when discussing hockey powerhouses.

The was no Title IX violation, they wanted to put more money in their losing football program. Plus, they cut a women's sport not just men sports. The University save less than $25,000 by cutting men's track (their travel budget). The school kept their 5 scholarships for cc and all of the coaches as they coach bot the men and women's cross coutnry teams and women's track and field team.

Time for a push for a new President and AD!!

Start the campaign

runner1234 wrote:

I have heard of this school when discussing hockey powerhouses.

They do not sponsor NCAA hockey. Only a club team.

"The National Federation of State High School Associations recently released information concerning the number of participants in high school sports. According to this group, outdoor track has shown a six-year INCREASE of participants of 10.2%, with 544,188 boys taking part. According to the NFHS boy's track and field ranks third, behind football and basketball, in the number of student athletes participating in a high school sport. Also, there are more high schools that offer boy's track and field than football."

www.runohio.com

A sad day in Athens and Ohio for many athletes!

Only after fully reading the story behind these cuts can one truly understand the poor rationale it is backed by. Cutting men's track resulted in a $16,000 loss to the athletic department. One of the saddest things is looking at Ohio University's solid running tradition which shadows any other college in the state, per capita. Olympic silver medalists, NCAA champions and numerous all-americans just to name a few. The athletic department at Ohio University is very apathetic to these accomplishments.

Whether you run competitively or just for fitness, or are just concerned about the destruction of this popular sport, which provides opportunities for a diverse student body, take a few minutes and let Ohio University’s officials know you care about Track and Field and would like to see them reinstate the Men’s Track and Field program.

What can you do? You can contact the Board of Trustees, the University President and the Athletic Director to voice your concerns

Take a few minutes and write the Ohio University Board of Trustees –

General email address for the Ohio University Board of Trustees -

trustees@ohio.edu

For a listing of the Ohio University Board of Trustees -

http://www.ohio.edu/trustees/members/index.cfm

Ohio University Board of Trustees home page-

http://www.ohio.edu/trustees

Ohio University President - Dr. Roderick McDavis -

mcdavis@ohio.edu

Ohio University Director of Athletics - Kirby Hocutt -

athletics@ohio.edu

Isn't it even worse in West Virginia. No Div I mens T&F IN THE ENTIRE STATE. Is this correct?

I read that, too. It's sad that the people making the decisions work in offices stuck in the 1950's.

Anyone who tells you football makes money in college is wrong except for the major DI colleges who play in the bowl games.

Yea, both Marshall University and West Virginia University dropped Men’s Track and Field. And since Ohio University dropped Men’s Track and Field that whole area - southeastern Ohio and West Virginia has NO Division I Men’s Track and Field program.

At the bottom of this article

http://www.runohio.com/news/03-14-07Ohio_U.html

were the contacts for West Virginia, Ohio and Mid American Conference universities which dropped Men’s Track and Field

Thanks for that. Interestingly, I think West Virginia is one of the leading states (per capita) for obesity. Back in the day, WV (as a state) used to hold some of the best road races in the nation.

This comment was posted yesterday on:

http://bringingbackohiotrack.blogspot.com

Thanks for your article. How true your depicting my personal feeling of never returning to Ohio to fraternize with former Bobcat runners, but, also, with the many friends that I have in Athens as well as the University. Those days are gone forever. What a grand time we had at Elmore Banton's retirement ceremony and Track Reunion. The personal feeling of such a waste can only be understood by me and myself alone. Thanks for your continuance to keep the Track and field experience alive.

Stan Huntsman

Former Bobcat Coach

From last year’s Columbus Dispatch -

COLLEGES OHIO UNIVERSITY

Former track coach disowns his old school

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Mark Znidar

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

“Stan Huntsman invested 16 years of his life in Ohio University as a graduate student and track coach.

Last week, he invested a couple of dollars in postage to mail his master’s degree diploma in physical education back to his alma mater.”

Read the rest of the article -

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2007/02/07/20070207-F1-04.html

Nice article in the Dispatch...Read it last year and thought that it was a sad day in Ohio University athletics to have an Olympic track and field coach disown his old school..

If every college in the NCAA dropped track and field tomorrow would anyone other than the athletes really care?

Also, when most people die only the family really cares…so what is your point?