(05-28-2020 09:26 AM)joshadam84 Wrote: I trust that whatever decision is ultimately made has been well thought out and is in the best interest of the school and athletic department. I’m hopeful there’s something that can be done to keep the program.. but at this point even if they did they’d have next to no roster. It may be best to suspend the program for now in hopes it can be returned down the road. Other schools have honored scholarships for those who want to stay.. I’d imagine CSU is doing the same. Once again— we weren’t able to hear any details. We will just have to see what goes on.
The decision to drop baseball was not well thought out. It has blown up on them. Every player on the baseball team is in the transfer portal. Chicago State cannot stay at the NCAA level without baseball. They would need to add another men's team sport which would negate in savings from cutting baseball.
1.
Division I Schools must field teams in at least seven sports for men and seven for women or six for men and eight for women,
with at least two team sports for each gender.
2.
Division II Schools have to sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women (or four for men and six for women),
with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender.
3.
Division III Schools must sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women,
with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender.
Without baseball, the options for Chicago State are NAIA or drop athletics all together. What was the point of hiring Elliot Charles as the new AD if you are going to drop baseball? Charles was making $134,000 as an Associate Athletic Director at Clemson. At Chicago State, he is probably not making much more than that. The reason he takes the job is that it is a D1 school, a D1 opportunity.
The school leadership needs to decide what their vision of the athletic program at Chicago State is? Are they a D1 program? Chicago State has a 7,000 seat arena basketball arena built in 2007 and paid for by the taxpayers of the State of Illinois. That cost $38 million. That was not built for an NAIA school. The baseball stadium was build in 2013 and cost $2.5 million.
“The new baseball stadium is a clear sign of Chicago State University's renewed commitment to Division I athletics,” Chicago State University President Dr. Wayne D. Watson said. “The complex will benefit the entire student body and the surrounding communities.”
“This will be the finest collegiate baseball facility in Chicago,” Chicago State University Athletic Director Dan Schumacher said. “The new stadium will be a game changer for the baseball program in terms of recruiting, visibility and available resources. It is also another indication of Chicago State's commitment to leveling the playing field among local Division I universities.”
You could see the commitment to D1 athletics back then. It is not seen today. I think Chicago State leadership should let everyone know where they stand on D1 athletics. The pandemic has made it hard on every school, but they are going to have to find the money somewhere else if they want to stay at D1.