Seven months after Cal announced the elimination of five teams to save $4 million annually, the school’s 27-sport intercollegiate program is intact again with the reinstatement Monday of men’s gymnastics.
Supporters of gymnastics raised $2.5 million dollars, enough that Chancellor Robert Birgeneau decided to bring the program back on a non-scholarship basis. The university told gymnastics that additional private fundraising can go toward re-establishing scholarships.
First-year Cal coach Tim McNeill got the news from deputy director of athletics Steve Holton.“I’m kind of glad it was over the phone because I probably had the silliest grin on my face, but it was uncontrollable,” McNeill said. “It was the best news I may have heard in my life.”
McNeill, who thanked parents, alumni and the Cal administration for their support, broke the news to his athletes in a nonchalant manner, according to senior Kyle Bunthuwong of El Cerrito. “He didn’t want to hype it too much,” Bunthuwong said. “We were like, ’Yes!’ “
Athletic director Sandy Barbour, while saying she is “thrilled” gymnastics was reinstated, conceded the financial realities of the day by acknowledging other sports programs on campus will be asked to chip in.
“There’s no doubt we believe we are going to have to go to the community of each of our programs and ask them to close the gap to be increasingly self-sufficient,” Barbour said.
Asked if that scenario is
imminent, she added, “Absolutely. It’s something we’ve started to talk to all of our programs about.”
The school initially trimmed men’s baseball, rugby and gymnastics and women’s gymnastics and lacrosse in late September to help reach the chancellor’s goal of the university providing only $5 million annually to athletics by 2014.
Through private fundraising, the other four earned reinstatement for a period of seven to 10 years, during which they must develop permanent endowments. That left men’s gymnastics, which since 1912 has produced 11 Olympians, four NCAA team championships and, after a fourth-place finish last month, 20 top-five national performances.
Gymnastics did not reach Birgeneau’s fundraising target of $4 million, but he opted to bring the program back anyway so current athletes could make a decision about their future and McNeill could resume recruiting. McNeill said all non-seniors have committed to returning.
Cal has funded 4.7 scholarships for men’s gymnastics that were spread this season among nine athletes. The program will retain 3.0 scholarships next season, with returning athletes supported at their current levels.
Former Cal gymnast Steve Carlsen, who helped spearhead fundraising, doesn’t believe the current inability to offer scholarships to newcomers will cause long-term harm.
“No. 1, gymnasts go to Cal because it’s a great school and there’s great gymnastics,” Carlsen said. “Secondly, we will raise the money.”
