NCAA Lindenwood cuts women's gymnastics

[OnoNoKomachi]

BREAKING: Lindenwood to Discontinue Gymnastics After 2024 Season - College Gym News

All the recent articles published on College Gym News, including event coverage, recruiting news, features, data deep dives and more.

collegegymnews.com

"
Lindenwood athletics announced today that the gymnastics program will be cut after the conclusion of the 2024 season. In 2022, the department transitioned from a Division II to a Division I institution, and it states that this cut is a result of an assessment of the department’s sustainability.

Nine other programs, nearly all Olympic sports, are also being cut."

 

[nog]

Looks like 10 teams total are being cut. Wonder if going D1 (ie having to come up with money for full scholarships) was a much larger financial endeavor than they had expected. I do know that as of a few weeks ago the gym program was looking to the future in regards to recruiting actively, so they as a program had no or little warning.

I feel bad for all the teams being cut!

 

[makam]

Swimming and Diving and Track and Field feel like odd cuts. I know they aren't the moneymakers that basketball and football are, but they aren't niche and once you have the facilities it seems like the main cost is over and having college kids running around a track or swimming laps doesn't cost all that much. Unless having the sport means you have to have the scholarships for it? You can't have an entirely walk-on team in D1?

 

[RedBirdie]

At a school like Lindenwood, football is anything but a moneymaker. I suspect that all their sport operate in the red.

The whole thing is odd, imo. Last year they moved to D1 and added men's ice hockey this year. But suddenly 10 other teams have to be cut? Something weird is going on.

 

[cuuf]

At a school like Lindenwood, football is anything but a moneymaker. I suspect that all their sport operate in the red.

The whole thing is odd, imo. Last year they moved to D1 and added men's ice hockey this year. But suddenly 10 other teams have to be cut? Something weird is going on.

Actually thats not true, as a D1 school, they serve as fodder for P5 programs with significant paydays. For example, New Mexico state received 1.8 million for going to Auburn, which is pretty standard for these types of games. Throw another 2 or 3 of those games and the rest of the athletic budget is covered.

 

[RedBirdie]

Lindenwood didn't play any P5 schools this year.

 

[blake]

For what it's worth, they train at Gym Quarters gym which is probably less expensive than having their own facilities on campus. That's a shame. I wonder how big of a donor base they have. I don't think the total they'd need to raise would be as high as Alaska's was which was 1 million iirc.

 

[GLeigh]

They've said donations won't be able to revive the program

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

You can't have an entirely walk-on team in D1?

You can. The William and Mary and California men's gymnastics teams are basically all walk-ons.

This is the Lindenwood statement from last year about the transition to D1. My guess is it turned out to be a lot more expensive than they were expecting.

LinD1nwood

LinD1nwood

lindenwoodlions.com

Notably the claim was made that there were no plans to cut sports. Guess those plans changed.

D1 Football is expensive - that's 82 full rides. One would have to look at revenue data to se if was making much $ for the school. My guess is - it isn't.
Swimming and Diving can be expensive, and is often a target when sports are cut for financial reasons. It costs $ to maintain the pool.

The school didn't totally eliminate track and field - Lindenwood still has those - for women.

The weirdest thing is they eliminated a "Student Life Sport" - which is a club.
Per the statement about transition to D1

A move to NCAA Division I athletics enhances our Lindenwood University community in many ways and aligns with our strategic plan – it will drive enrollment, raise university visibility and make Lindenwood a desired location for improved community engagement to name a few benefits.

 

[cuuf]

Sounds like they underestimated the timeline in which Football would start making positive returns. P5 schools schedule 5-7 sometimes 10 years out. So any significant paydays for being a homecoming opponent would not be seen for almost 10 years, and all that time as you mention, they would still need to support the 82 scholarship roster, travel, recruiting, etc.

 

[irichluck21]

Its such a shame because since UIC got cut in 2019 and Seattle in 2020 there was a positive turn around with the establishment of new programs. IIRC, Lindenwood was the last new program to start in 2013 with LIU starting in 2021, Fisk, Simpson, Greenville starting in 2023, and Clemson, Utica, and Talladega starting in 2024. Then you had Alaska and William and Mary being reinstated, it seemed a positive trend was growing.

Upsetting about Lindenwood because it became a strong program in such a short amount of time. It won several USAG national team titles, 7 MIC titles (against D1 teams) and was the last non Division 1 team to make regionals in 2019.
Hopefully Orel will be snapped up somewhere as an assistant coach or D3 head coach.

It was a successful program in terms of accolades.

 

[nog]

I’m curious. Upthread someone stated that the university has stated that monetary donations will my get the programs reinstated…..so, the Save Lindenwood fund all over social media just a misguided attempt for an unrealistic outcome?

 

[Sparklesmom]

I’m curious. Upthread someone stated that the university has stated that monetary donations will my get the programs reinstated…..so, the Save Lindenwood fund all over social media just a misguided attempt for an unrealistic outcome?

I have been wondering the same thing. The AD said that money won't save the programs so if they do raise the money, where does it go if they remain a cut program?

 

[nog]

I have been wondering the same thing. The AD said that money won't save the programs so if they do raise the money, where does it go if they remain a cut program?

I do hope that the funds they raise are in pledges…promise to give not actual money sent. I too wonder if it’s money sent, where that money goes if the program remains cut…

 

[GymnasticsLion]

View attachment 9994
Looks like 10 teams total are being cut. Wonder if going D1 (ie having to come up with money for full scholarships) was a much larger financial endeavor than they had expected. I do know that as of a few weeks ago the gym program was looking to the future in regards to recruiting actively, so they as a program had no or little warning.

I feel bad for all the teams being cut!

I feel bad for the gymnasts who were recruited. Now they have to go through that process in a different way.
Plus the other gymnasts have to either retire, or transfer. The team will be broken up

 

[irichluck21]

Yeah it is really unfortunate. UIC was a mess after their final season, despite winning MIC in their final conference championship.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

I'm not up on my women's NCAA, but it looks like they were still recruiting and have a bunch of freshman.
Total dick move on the part of the athletic department

 

[irichluck21]

Lindenwood also signed three athletes for 2025. So, yeah sucks for those three because now they have nothing and they put all their eggs in this basket by signing, so they are totally screwed.
Hopefully they can get picked up elsewhere.

 

[nog]

looks like they stuck to their statement at the beginning. They stated in their press release that no amount of donations could change the outcome and they just reiterated that. This is a statement on IG from the Save Lindenwood Gymnastics group. They acknowledge that this is the case and have a few suggestions for everyone who wanted to donate (quite a nice post).

 

[irichluck21]

BOOOOOO