News Flash - Butler's Varsity Program has been cut.

[mholtz]

When MSU dropped it's program there were quite a few players that "stuck it out" but mostly they were seniors that wanted to get their degrees. Most of the younger "impact" players transfered out. A few even won national championships later in their careers.

[shep]

When MSU dropped it's program there were quite a few players that "stuck it out" but mostly they were seniors that wanted to get their degrees. Most of the younger "impact" players transfered out. A few even won national championships later in their careers.

Most notably Jason Tarnow, goalie for Salisbury's 1999 championship team.

If I recall Chris Clark and Kevin Sheedy (sp?) both transferred and were starters at Cuse in 1999, but they lost to Virginia. Did Cuse win in 98? Clark then tore up the Peach State games with us in the Fall of 99 - I think he was playing with the Buffalo Bandits for a few years after school.

Who else am I missing, Holtz?

[mholtz]

Tarnow was one. I'm pretty sure there were one or two ex-spartans still on the 'cuse roster in 2000.

[Rob Graff]

Interesting Article on the Butler Developments. I had expected a problem with them committing to compete this season...Sounds like that's exactly what might happen.

Butler, which announced Friday it is dropping men's lacrosse after this season, might not have enough players to compete this season.
Players met Monday in a Hinkle Fieldhouse classroom across the hall from the office of athletic director Barry Collier. As many as 18 players on the 38-man squad plan to sit out the season and transfer so they can preserve eligibility.
The team is to convene for practice Wednesday. Coach Stan Ross said a decision on whether to proceed might come then.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070130/SPORTS06/701300369/1004/SPORTS

[John Paul]

I sent a note to the Butler AD and trustees (respectful, but disappointed). They quickly sent a form email that they are obviously using for all notes like mine questioning their decision to cut lacrosse and swimming. Pasted here:

January 30, 2007



On behalf of the Butler University Board of Trustees and as a parent, myself, I completely understand the extremely personal feelings and concerns with the decision to discontinue the Men’s lacrosse and swimming programs, effective 6/1/07. A thorough review of our athletic programs and their fit with Butler’s future was one of the first charges given to Athletic Director Collier upon his hiring last summer. Collier’s recommendation with President Fong’s endorsement was reviewed by the Board of Trustees late last week against many factors…impact on current student-athletes, current and future enrollment, current high school recruits, Title IX, alumni support, reputation, peer institutions, available resources, economic viability, etc., and ultimately accepted. I think it is interesting to note that when Butler’s Men’s lacrosse program was established in 1993, there were 53 Division I programs. Today, 14 years later, there are only 56 Division I programs. In the last 3 years, the Men’s swimming team has been unable to field a minimum of 10 swimmers for 11 events in order to qualify as a sponsored sport under NCAA regulations.



The timing for announcing something like this is never good. We made the decision to announce it before the lacrosse season began to allow for the consideration of the most options for these young men. It will preserve a season of eligibility for those athletes who decide to play elsewhere. It will also permit those high school seniors who intended to play lacrosse at Butler to accept other offers. Butler will honor the scholarship commitments for all current players through their senior year. For any athlete wishing to transfer in the very near future, Butler will refund 100% of any 2nd semester tuition, room or board they may have paid. All athletes will continue to have access to the same services available to other varsity athletes, including academic services and athletic training.



This decision, while difficult and controversial, is indeed final. The Board believes it puts Butler University and Butler athletics in the best possible position to be successful in the future. We wish only the best for these affected student-athletes and their families.



Sincerely,



John B. Dunn

Chair, Butler University Board of Trustees

I don't expect them to personally respond to every letter they get on this, but it's disappointing that they use a form letter to cover both lacrosse and swimming. It illuminates the way they are handling this whole situation.

Also, they make a point to mention that D1 lacrosse has grown by only a handful of teams in the past 14 years. Pointless argument as that lack of growth had nothing to do with the growth of the sport in general but is more indicative of the effect of Title IX on athletic department decisions - something they barely mention in any of their releases or this letter.

[Rob Graff]

So is it better for Lacrosse as a sport to have Butler's players decide to not compete this season and protect their individual eligibility? OR to burn a season of eligibility playing out the string - in effect making them martyrs?

If you are a fr/Soph and you have no particular tie to Butler's academics, don't you have to not play and save a year to make you more attractive as a transfer? In effect for the Freshmen, they've redshirted a year, and the Sophs have 2 years of college experience and 3 years of eligibility left.

Is it the same for a junior - who would have 2 years left if he did not play?

WOuld you play if you were a senior ? And if the other 3 classes had all left would your decision be the same?

A quick review of the 06/07 roster yields the following:

Seniors - 7 players
Juniors - 7 players
Sophomores - 11 players
Freshmen - 11 players

That's only 36 and the news paper report suggestes 38 on the team - so I must have missed 2 or they are late additions. In any event - if the Soph's and Frosh all refuse to play, I imagine it will be tough to play AT Denver with 14 players... And with no goalie, because the only two goalies are a Soph and Freshman, respectively...

[Sonny]

IMLCA Statement on Butler's Decision To Drop Lacrosse

The Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) was extremely disappointed to learn of Butler University's decision to drop men's lacrosse (and men's swimming) after the 2007 season.

Butler's program has been important to the growth of the game in the Midwestern states and provided leadership in the formation of the Great Western Lacrosse League, one of the six leagues to receive automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship.

At a time when youth and high school lacrosse is growing at an exponential rate, it is important for colleges and universities to identify avenues by which varsity opportunities can be created.

"While we understand and appreciate the financial decision Butler University made the IMLCA is concerned about future opportunities for the ever-growing number of boys playing lacrosse," said Phil Buttafuoco, executive director of the IMLCA. "We want to work with colleges and universities to find ways to create more varsity opportunities for the escalating number of prospective student-athletes."

The 2005 Participation Study produced by US Lacrosse estimated that 204,384 boys played youth lacrosse and 147,042 played high school lacrosse. These numbers have escalated over the past few years as indicated by the estimates of the number of players nationally (includes youth, high school, college, post college) during the past five years.

2001 253,931
2002 288,104
2003 301,560
2004 351,852
2005 381,568

The number of college varsity programs in the United States has steadily increased throughout the past 25 years as the following chart indicates:

Year Division I Division II Division III Total
1985 49 20 75 144
1990 51 18 83 152
1995 52 27 93 172
2000 55 30 118 203
2005 56 29 129 214
2007 56 32 132 220

[Rob Graff]

Per following article:

http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=2&news=fdetail&storyid=145557

Here's the quote from the article:

Inside Lacrosse was unable to reach head coach Stan Ross for comment, but multiple Butler lacrosse players have confirmed that the team will not compete this season, citing lack of participation following the school's decision to disband the program in June of 2007.

[OAKS]

That's really a shame that the guys aren't going to play, probably effectively ending a lot of the senior's and maybe some of the junior's collegiate playing careers, but you can't fault them for having to make the decision. This is definitely on the school and athletic administration's heads for doing this a couple of weeks before the season. Even if they had to cut the program, you'd think that schools like Butler and Ohio U on the women's side would have the foresight to to plan an evaluation like this so they could make the announcement at the end of the school year last year or this year rather than the middle. Guess it's just another example of education not being a good indicator of common sense.

[John Paul]

Got a much better (and longer) personal response from Barry Collier, the Butler AD, today. I still don't agree with the way they handled this, especially the timing - but I have to credit him for his response.

[Dulax31]

not to jump the gun or anything, but could they have a club team this year, play and save a year of eligibility?

-Chris

[gobblerlax05]

yeah of course we know himvery welll! his bro and number 1 husker alek maric(fan of uunl alx) are stilll huskers! and besides i wrote is bro about how alek lvoed the lax boys so maybe taht might wow him!

[Adam G]

yeah of course we know himvery welll! his bro and number 1 husker alek maric(fan of uunl alx) are stilll huskers! and besides i wrote is bro about how alek lvoed the lax boys so maybe taht might wow him!

What?

[cgarrigues]

Butler's decision to drop lacrosse shocks recruit
Sunday, February 11, 2007
DAVE RAHME
STAFF WRITER
Shawn Mowry believed he had finally finished the important task of figuring out where he would play his college lacrosse.

Do I stay close to home or go away? Do I play Division I or Division III?

An official visit to Butler University in Indianapolis a few weeks ago brought things into focus for the senior close defender at West Genesee High.

"It was awesome," Mowry said. "I loved the campus, loved the city. Everybody was excited about the upcoming season."

And Mowry was excited about adding his name to an official letter of intent to join a class of 15 recruits eager to enter Butler in the fall and begin competing against the likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State and Denver in the Great Western Lacrosse League.

Five days after returning home, Mowry's dream was shattered by a phone call from Butler coach Stan Ross informing him that the school was dropping the sport effective June 1 following 14 seasons. It was 7 p.m. on Jan. 26 when Mowry's phone rang. Ross had learned of the decision only five hours earlier, an hour before the Bulldogs were to hit the practice field.

Full article:
http://www.syracuse.com/articles/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1171188347144330.xml&coll=1