St. Francis College’s athletic department is suddenly no more.
The school announced Monday afternoon that its board of trustees approved a strategic realignment plan that included the elimination of the college’s entire Division I athletics program effective after the conclusion of the 2023 spring semester.
The school’s coaches were informed of the news Monday morning and the athletes were told during the afternoon prior to the official announcement, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
“I come to you today to share the news of a decision I never anticipated during my time at St. Francis College,” athletic director Irma Garcia said in a statement. “I am heartbroken that a decision has been made to eliminate the College’s athletics program.”
The men’s basketball program, which dates back to 1896, was the oldest college program in New York City and a charter member of the NCAA.
The decision comes coupled with the college moving from its home on Remsen Street since 1963 to a new, slightly smaller facility at The Wheeler building on Livingston Street in downtown Brooklyn. That building opened in September and will provide an upgrade to ithe college’s academic resources. The new space does not include a gym or pool on site, however.
“We want to acknowledge that SFC has a rich legacy in competitive athletics, and are proud of our Terriers today and in all years past,” the school said in a statement. “This difficult decision was guided by a commitment to preserving the College’s 164-year Franciscan mission to provide a high quality and affordable education to working-class and first-generation students.”
In its statement the school cited “increased operating expenses, flattening revenue streams, and plateauing enrollment in part due to a shrinking pool of high school graduates in the aftermath of the pandemic” as reasons for the need to restructure. Former chief operating officer Tim Cecere has also been appointed acting school president with the board granting Dr. Miguel Martinez-Saenz his request for a personal leave.
“My heart hurts for our student-athletes, coaches, and staff,” Garcia said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible impact on St. Francis College, and as a result, Terrier Athletics.”
When the school announced the move to a new campus in May 2021 it said it hoped to develop partnerships with nearby institutions to share indoor spaces for games and practices and continue to use off-site fields for outdoor sports. The men’s and women’s basketball teams played their final games at the Remsen Street campus in November and played the majority of their remaining home games this season at Division III Pratt Institute in Clinton Hill.
St. Francis, which featured 19 teams, will honor student-athletes’ scholarships. Employment for the athletics staff and coaches will also end this spring.
“As we continue to compete this season, I ask that you pour love and positivity into our student-athletes,” Garcia said. ”They have worked all year to play at their highest level and I will be cheering them on until the bitter end.”