William & Mary AD Resigns After Slashing Athletics

In the last month, the William & Mary athletics department has been ravaged by program cuts. Seven of the department’s 23 programs — men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and women’s volleyball — were cut in September to place more emphasis on the revenue-producing sports of football and basketball.

Fast forward to October and the Tribe’s athletic director, Samantha Huge, has resigned amid the widespread dissatisfaction of the cuts, according to an article in The Virginian-Pilot.

“Athletics Director Samantha Huge was asked to lead difficult change at William & Mary – change required to address long-standing imbalances and put the Athletics Department on sound financial and operational footing for years to come,” W&M President Katherine Rowe said in a release. “She took on that challenge recognizing that it was in the best interest of the university and she continues to make decisions using that standard as her guide. Now it is clear to me that a new approach is necessary,” Rowe said.

“Accordingly, Director Huge and I have mutually agreed that it is best to part ways so the university can focus on the critical questions facing W&M Athletics. I accept this step with a heavy heart and with great respect for Samantha Huge and her leadership.”

The move came, according to The Virginian-Pilot, approximately 30 minutes before the university’s Arts & Sciences Faculty was preparing to vote on a motion of “no-confidence” in her leadership at a separate meeting.