GREENVILLE, N.C. — East Carolina University announced Thursday it will cut four athletic programs, effective immediately.
According to a release from ECU, the action is being taken as part of the school's budget restructuring efforts and is part of an in-depth analysis of ECU's athletics financial position during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Affected programs are men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and women’s tennis. The move affects 68 student-athletes and nine coaches. ECU previously led the American Athletic Conference with 20 sports (following the departure of Connecticut) and will now have 16 sports (9 women’s, 7 men’s). The NCAA requires Division I FBS schools to have a minimum of 16 sports including a minimum eight women’s and six men’s sports. ECU will remain at 16 sponsored sports.