More background from today's Richmond Times-Dispatch.
[some already discussed intro info deleted]
......Once the school supported Division I lacrosse, elimination of a sport, or sports, was necessary, according to UR's strategic plan. It called for utilization of "existing resources" when a task force was formed to examine the mix of varsity and club sports.
"It's not just a money issue," Miller said.
If no sports were cut, "You'd have to add close to 20 reserved admissions spots a year for athletes in lacrosse and (also in a new women's sport added to comply with Title IX)," Miller said. "If you're at a school of 10,000, 20,000, 30,000 or 50,000, it makes no difference. For us, that would be a major and significant issue."
UR's enrollment is 2,950. At least 80 admissions spots in each class of approximately 770 are reserved for student-athletes, according to Miller.
With the addition of a men's sport, Title IX dictated cuts come from the men's side. UR studied baseball and soccer, which works with about eight scholarships. Men's track has no scholarships.
Miller said among the reasons soccer was selected was lack of recent success (one winning season since 2003), comparative contributions from former soccer and baseball players, the school's decision not to build a soccer facility with a grass field, and the challenge of gaining national prominence in soccer, a sport with hundreds of Division I teams. There were 61 Division I men's lacrosse teams last spring.
Baseball's history of success and its dedicated on-campus facility were factors, according to Miller.
Soccer players on scholarship can remain at UR on scholarship until they graduate or for a period equal to their remaining eligibility. Those scholarships gradually will shift to lacrosse. The NCAA limit in the sport is 12.6. The in-progress soccer season will be the Spiders' last.