Five sports done

UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics, faced with cost-cutting measures due to the state economic crisis, is discontinuing several of its sports programs, effective Saturday.

The five affected sports are men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s rowing, and sailing.

These moves reduce the number of intercollegiate sports sponsored at UCI to 18 (nine men’s and nine women’s), which ranks in the upper half of the Big West Conference. With additional reductions to be made in the department’s operating expenses, the total budget impact will be up to $1 million.

“These were extremely difficult decisions that unfortunately had to be made due to the financial crisis that is affecting our state and the UC system,” UCI Athletic Director Mike Izzi said. “I was hoping to avoid discontinuing any of our sports programs, but the Intercollegiate Athletics Department is not immune to the cuts that are occurring in the state and on our campus.

“The impact this has on these coaches and student-athletes is something that none of us wishes to see, but the reality is that this type of move is unavoidable with the financial challenges that we face.”

UCI will honor all scholarships as agreed to for the 2009-10 academic year for the student-athletes in these sports wishing to continue their studies at the university.

The athletics department staff will provide assistance with the transfer process for student-athletes wishing to continue their competitive careers at other universities.

UCI swim coach Brian Pajer has planned to have a meeting with members of the community tonight at 8 at the Anteaters’ pool to discuss ways to raise money to halt the cuts before Saturday.

— From staff reports