Rugby Remains Strong at Lindenwood
Rugby Remains Strong at Lindenwood
We at GRR pondered how to write a headline for this article.
Lindenwood University just cut 10 spots. We heard the news over the weekend and many people who heard it immediately assumed that rugby was one of those sports or assumed rugby was in danger. But rugby, for both men and women, is still going strong at Lindenwood.
Why?
Well, first of all, Lindenwood cut men's lacrosse, men's swimming and diving, men's tennis, men's track and field (indoors and outdoors), men's wrestling, women's field hockey, women's gymnastics, women's swimming and diving, and cycling for both men and women.
These sports were cut mostly for financial reasons. Several of these sports used practice and game facilities off-campus, meaning the school had to pay extra every time they practiced or competed. This would be true of swimming and diving, field hockey, and cycling. Cycling is also not an NCAA sport, but that's not really relevant to the discussion.
Track and Field has competed entirely on the road. It doesn't seem apparent that the tennis team plays on-campus.
The second issue is regarding defined competitions. Lindenwood University expects its teams to play in a defined competition, ideally within a conference framework. Wrestling is not in a conference and because they're not in a conference they can't play for a national title. Tennis does not appear to be in a conference.
Title IX is a factor in these cuts, too, as the cuts are a net loss for men's teams—seven men's teams lost to four women's teams.
Travel is also an issue. All college teams travel, but lacrosse is in a conference with Queens University Charlotte, Jacksonville University, and University of Utah.
Gymnastics competed in Colorado, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Texas.
Yes, you say, but doesn't rugby travel? Indeed it does, but they do a good job of mitigating costs. In addition, those other factors work in their favor. Rugby is a fairly inexpensive sport once you initiate the program. New game balls and new kit are the big ongoing expenses, but there aren't a lot of expensive pieces of equipment—it's mainly the players and the coaches.
Both the men's and women's rugby teams are in understandable conference and championship competitions, they have full schedules and full rosters, and they have enjoyed significant success.
So the upshot is that rugby is still going strong at Lindenwood.
