(TommieMedia file photo)
St. Thomas Athletics announced the decision to discontinue its men’s and women’s varsity tennis programs in Director of Athletics Phil Esten’s university-wide email Tuesday.
The Varsity Tennis Announcement FAQ cited the lack of tennis facilities and an unsustainable forecast of necessary resources and funding as reasons for why tennis will be the only varsity sport cut in the university’s move from Division III to Division I in the fall.
“The move will reduce our varsity sport portfolio to 20, bringing us in closer alignment with other Summit League institutions,” Esten wrote. “There are no plans to discontinue any other athletic programs.”
The move was made during a period of success for women’s tennis especially, as the team claimed its first MIAC regular-season championship in 30 years, became the first St. Thomas tennis team to sweep the regular-season and playoff championships and secured its seventh NCAA tournament appearance. Men’s tennis ended its season 9-7 with six losses to DI teams and highly-ranked DIII opponents.
Although tennis will continue as a club sport at St. Thomas, the decision was timed “before we committed any athletic scholarships to student-athletes, developed a full-time coaching staff, or committed any other resources to the programs as we transition,” according to the FAQ.
The part-time contracts for current tennis coaches will be honored until their expiration at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.
“We understand this news deeply disappoints many people, but none more so than the 27 student-athletes and coaches who dedicated themselves to this program, as well as program alumni,” Esten wrote. “For 100 years, our tennis student-athletes and coaches have demonstrated great sportsmanship and represented St. Thomas with dignity and grace, both in the classroom and on the court.”
Mia Laube can be reached at mia.laube@stthomas.edu.
Way to care about all of our student/athletes!!
Another example of moving to Division 1 athletics is costing more money and
getting us less.
I’m sorry. I just don’t think this is worth it. We should have stayed Division 3.
What an incredibly sad day for those of us who love St Thomas and it’s rich history of competition in the MIAC. In the 1970s, when the school was just a shadow of what it is today, , my dad started the tennis program at St Thomas. And just this weekend, the women’s team achieved great success. What a shame … the price of growth leaves so much in its wake.
Five years ago (2016) the St Thomas Women’s Tennis Team was MIAC Champions. They also were playoff Champions in 2015 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Another great team of student athletes.
Mr. Esten appears to be using the University of Minnesota playbook with the FAQ answers. Please note; 1) Coaches contracts in Tennis don’t need to be honored as they end of the month. 2) At this point administration has done nothing to help current players and new recruits (small window to find new school), 3) St Thomas like other Summit league teams do not need to play matches on campus, 4) In past year meeting Title Nine by adding more Women (who in most cases will never have an opportunity to compete in the Summit League) to two other Tommie Teams is not really taking the place of Team of Women that would. 5) Club Tennis means one can find someone to play, find a tennis court, find some balls and find a way to the court.
They came for Men’s and Women’s Tennis with no notice. One must wonder will they come for your program.
Very poor decision by Athletic Director.
Sad that tennis is the first. victim of the silly “craze” to go division one. I hope that the article’s opening is incorrect in its assertion that the primary reason the tennis players chose UST was their sport. I hope it was to receive a solid education. I fear that one of the effects of division one will be that more athletes will base their choice on athletics and not education.
On another topic. For years I heard Mr. Caruso repeatedly assert his love of division three athletics. I must have missed his resignation as UST coach.