West Liberty University interim President Dr. Cathy Monteroso announced Tuesday that the Hilltoppers’ men’s and women’s varsity tennis programs have been discontinued in order to support the continued fiscal stability of WLU athletics.
University administrators and advisors met with members of both teams on Friday to inform the student-athletes of the difficult decision. The university has pledged to support all of the affected student-athletes whether they opt to finish their degrees at West Liberty or choose to continue to pursue a combination of intercollegiate tennis and academics at another institution.
“While we regret having to eliminate the tennis teams,” Dr. Monteroso said, “we face budgetary issues that require several changes to reduce our expenses. West Liberty University will always remember our tennis programs with fondness and pride. We wish everyone associated well as they move on.”
The move reduces the number of varsity intercollegiate sports at the university from 20 to 18: Men’s and Women’s Basketball; Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field; Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field; Men’s and Women’s Soccer; Men’s and Women’s Golf; Men’s and Women’s Cross Country; Acrobatics & Tumbling; Softball; Volleyball; Baseball; Football and Wrestling.
It also brings the WLU athletic department more in line with Mountain East Conference and national NCAA Division II business models. The average NCAA Division II school sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports while only six of the 12 MEC schools are currently offering men’s and women’s tennis as a varsity sport.
The West Liberty men’s and women’s tennis programs leave behind a shining legacy on and off the courts.
The Hilltopper teams have been regional powers at the NAIA and NCAA levels for more than a half-century, producing multiple WVIAC and MEC champions and deep post-season runs. They have been just as successful in the classroom, earning a raft of academic honors at the conference, regional and national levels.
West Liberty University is West Virginia’s oldest public university and offers more than 70 undergraduate majors, plus a growing number of graduate programs, both online and on campus. For more information, please call 1.866.937.8542 (WESTLIB), visit westliberty.edu or follow WLU on social media or westliberty.edu/youtube. Follow sports at hilltoppersports.com.
