The leadership of the Intercollegiate Coach Association Coalition (ICAC) issued the following statement after the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum and Board of Directors met and discussed Division I membership requirements, that include, minimum number of sports sponsored by institutions.
“We agree with the announcement by the NCAA that ‘requirements that support student-athletes and opportunities for participation are the most important’ and are pleased that their leadership shares the ICAC position of putting students first,” said ICAC leadership. “College sports can recover from cuts, but not from extinction. As the NCAA endorses new creative solutions that address the challenges wrought by this pandemic, we will continue to strongly advocate for the protection of sport sponsorship minimums. Our coalition remains committed to safeguarding opportunities for our student-athletes who need our support now more than ever.”
The ICAC also noted that the athletes, coaches and support staff in their sports, are critical ambassadors for their universities and that Olympic sports are important elements to the overall campus experience.
The ICAC started the #SaveOurSports campaign to sound the alarm about potentially disastrous cuts to vital and beloved programs. They built a broad coalition of supporters, including a growing list of over 20 prominent sports organizations, truly a testament to the virtue of the cause and the passion for sports. The group delivered a petition to the NCAA with over 91,000 signers in less than one week, along with strong online support from athletes, coaches, and supporters who shared their stories in video testimonials.
ICAC Steering Committee:
Rob Kehoe, Director of College Programs, United Soccer Coaches
Mike Moyer, Executive Director, National Wrestling Coaches Association
Kathy DeBoer, Executive Director, American Volleyball Coaches Association
Greg Earhart, Executive Director, College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America
More information can be found at www.savecollegesports.com