University of Regina reduces the number of U SPORTS Athletic teams

News Release Release Date: April 30, 2018 2:00 p.m.

The University of Regina has removed the Men's Cougar Volleyball team and the Men's and Women's Cougar Wrestling teams from its Athletics program.

"The decision was extremely difficult," said Harold Riemer, dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina. "While our elite sports teams are a source of pride for the University, reducing the number of teams on campus enables us to concentrate efforts. We will look to meet the teaching and programming needs of a Faculty where enrolments have increased by 31 percent over the past five years and more effectively support competitive excellence within our remaining U SPORTS teams."

Riemer added that "all savings realized will remain in the Faculty, enabling us to focus on the teaching and programming needs of a rapidly growing student population."

Reducing the number of teams flows from recommendations outlined in the University of Regina Athletics Programming and Operations Report completed in January 2017. The comprehensive review of the University's Athletics program included consultation with external experts and University and community members including Kinesiology and Health Studies faculty and staff, Athletics staff, coaches, members of community-based sport governing associations/partners, and student athletes.

"We recognize that this is a difficult announcement for our student athletes. We are committed to supporting those athletes affected by this announcement by honouring scholarships and other accommodations made so long as the students remain in good academic standing at the University of Regina," said Riemer. "Our students are our top priority throughout this transition."

The Athletics Programming and Operations Report stated that "supporting 16 programs is unsustainable." This shift reduces the number of U SPORTS teams at the University of Regina from 16 to 13, more closely aligning the number of teams to those at similar sized institutions and better balancing the male to female athlete ratio on campus.

As a result of the team reductions, two full-time coaching positions are reduced and one term contract position will not be renewed.

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