{"id":453081,"date":"2020-11-09T21:01:43","date_gmt":"2020-11-10T04:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=453081"},"modified":"2020-11-09T21:01:43","modified_gmt":"2020-11-10T04:01:43","slug":"oklahoma-baptist-cuts-seven-programs-including-mens-and-womens-swimming-and-diving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/oklahoma-baptist-cuts-seven-programs-including-mens-and-womens-swimming-and-diving\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma Baptist Cuts Seven Programs, Including Men\u2019s and Women\u2019s Swimming and Diving"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Oklahoma Baptist, a multi-time NAIA national champion and now NCAA Division II contender, announced Monday that it intends to cut seven sports at the end of the 2020-21 season.<\/p>\n<p>As listed in the seventh paragraph of <a href=\"https:\/\/obubison.com\/news\/2020\/11\/9\/general-open-letter.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">an open letter to the community<\/a>, the school cites budget constraints for the axing of men\u2019s golf, men\u2019s soccer, men\u2019s and women\u2019s swimming and diving, men\u2019s and women\u2019s tennis, and women\u2019s lacrosse.<\/p>\n<p>Program reductions were approved by the school\u2019s Board of Trustees last Friday, with the OBU athletics department aiming to reduce its annual budget by approximately $3 million. The program cuts followed a \u201can exhaustive financial analysis to help departments identify potential cost-saving measures and other operational efficiencies to reduce the overall budget by the necessary amount,\u201d that eventually led to the inevitability of reducing varsity offerings.<\/p>\n<p>From the letter:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Please know that we are heartbroken for our student-athletes and coaches, and we share the deep disappointment felt by the alumni, fans, and supporters who have helped build these highly successful programs. Through their exceptional representation of the green and gold, each of these teams has brought vitality and distinction to the university through the years.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Oklahoma Baptist underwent a period of NAIA dominance, winning four straight men\u2019s titles from 2012-15 and three straight women\u2019s titles from 2013-15. All four meets in that period were held in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n<p>OBU joined the Great American Conference <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/naia-waves-farewell-to-oklahoma-baptist-university\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in Division II<\/a> \u2013 its swim teams swim are affiliate members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The men\u2019s swimming team <a href=\"https:\/\/obubison.com\/news\/2018\/3\/17\/mens-swimming-and-diving-bison-take-fifth-at-ncaa.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">finished fifth at its first Division II championships in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>From the letter:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>While these reductions are painful, we believe they are nonetheless necessary to the long-term financial health of the university in general, and the athletics department in particular. Maintaining a sustainable number of varsity teams will increase the viability and strength of our remaining programs and allow OBU to redouble its commitment to all-around excellence in intercollegiate athletics.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oklahoma Baptist, a multi-time NAIA national champion and now NCAA Division II contender, announced Monday that it intends to cut seven sports at the end of the 2020-21 season. 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