Minnesota to cut men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis, and men’s track and field

According to a trusted source, the University of Minnesota plans to cut men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis, and men’s track and field at the end of the year.

Athletic director Mark Coyle reportedly met with student-athletes earlier this afternoon to break the news, and is expected to meet with department staff shortly thereafter.

More to come, pending an official announcement.

UPDATE: The University has confirmed the cuts. From the U’s press release:

We have determined that Athletics is no longer able to financially or equitably sustain 25 varsity programs, and pending approval of the Board of Regents, we will discontinue men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, men’s gymnastics and men’s tennis at the completion of their 2020-21 competition season. Should health and safety precautions allow, these teams will have the opportunity to compete during the 2020-21 season.

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Members of the impacted teams will continue to have access to athletic, academic and mental health support throughout their 2020-21 competition season. We will also continue to honor all existing scholarships for individuals who choose to complete their undergraduate degree at Minnesota, while still offering them access to academic advising, sports psychology and necessary access to athletic medicine. We will also assist any student-athlete who decides to transfer and will support them through the transition process.

Plenty more to come on this, and we’ll add additional updates and posts as warranted.