The New York Institute of Technology announced it has suspended all of its athletic programs through at least 2022, this afternoon. The suspension comes as a response to cost-cutting brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have a rich legacy in competitive sports and are proud of everything our student-athletes have accomplished over the years. We thank everyone involved in our athletics program for their spirit, dedication, and professionalism,” Henry C. Foley, Ph.D., the President of New York Tech, said in a press release. “For the next two years, unfortunately, we will no longer be competing with our peers in the East Coast Conference (ECC) and NCAA Division II.”
Around 250 student-athletes currently attend NYIT. President Foley confirmed every student-athlete on an athletic-scholarship will retain it.
“Going forward, the university will continue to focus on student health and wellness initiatives and on enhancing academics and the student experience with additional club and intramural sports that will be accessible to the broadest range of students possible,” the university said, in a press release.
NYIT officials stated that they intend to re-evaluate the suspension in the future, but no official date has been set.
NYIT athletic programs captured 25 East Coast Conference Playoff Championships since 1990. The Women’s Tennis team topped the list with seven consecutive titles from 2012-2018. The Women’s Basketball program won the school’s most recent championship in 2019.
