Minnesota merger leaves fewer with separate programs

Mark Yudof, president of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, announced this month that the university plans to merge its men's and women's athletics departments and recommend to the state board of regents the dropping of three sports: men's gymnastics and men's and women's golf.

Those actions are part of the university's three-part plan to trim a projected $21 million budget deficit in intercollegiate athletics by $8.5 million over the next five years.

Tonya Moten Brown, vice-president and chief of staff, developed the plan, which includes reducing athletics department expenses by nearly $4.4 million over five years and also identifying $1.25 million in new investments to improve financial management and fund-raising.

With the announcement of the merger of the men's and women's departments also came word that the university will begin a search for a new athletics director of the merged department.

"We will look for a leader with a demonstrated record of supporting and encouraging women's athletics and female student-athletes," Yudof said. "We expect women to hold leadership roles in the department and have an equal place at the table."

With the merger of the Minnesota men's and women's athletics departments in July, only five institutions in Division I will retain separate departments for their men's and women's athletics -- Brigham Young University; the University of Texas at Austin; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; and Morris Brown College, a Division I-AA school.

In June, Chris Voelz, longtime women's athletics director at Minnesota, will become a special consultant to the university's president and athletics director emerita.

Voelz released a statement after the university's announcement.

"President Yudof knows how much I valued separate departments and the kinds of dedicated attention we could show our women, the kind of coaches we could attract, and the incredible outcomes we have achieved through this structure," she said. "I respectfully disagree with the president on both the structure change and the dropping of sports."

Tom Moe, Minnesota's men's athletics director, did not release a statement, though he did comment to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, noting that he supported the merger of the two departments.

"I have a difficult time with the team cuts, but with respect to addressing this structure, I think it's long overdue," he said.

Men's Frozen Four heats up ESPN

The 2002 NCAA Men's Frozen Four set television viewership records for households and estimated viewers.

The April 6 championship game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, a 4-3 overtime victory by the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, over the University of Maine, Orono, was watched by 899,000 households and approximately 2,319,420 viewers on ESPN. The previous bests were set in 1998, when 731,000 households and 1,885,980 viewers watched the University of Michigan beat Boston College, 3-2, in overtime at the Fleet Center in Boston.

The championship game also tied a record with a 1.0 cable rating, also reached in the Michigan-Boston College game in 1998, and the 1989 final in which Harvard University beat Minnesota, 4-3, in overtime.

In addition, the 2002 championship game aired as an "Instant Classic" April 13 on ESPN Classic.

The 2002 Men's Frozen Four also set viewership records for the combined three games. The two April 4 semifinal games on ESPN2 were watched by 370,000 households and 954,600 viewers, giving the Frozen Four a three-game total of more than 1.2 million households and more than 3.2 million viewers, bettering marks set in 1998.

Rams double trouble for Sacred Heart

March 28 was a great day for spring sports at the University of Rhode Island. Both the baseball and the softball teams traveled to Fairfield, Connecticut, where both posted no-hitters against Sacred Heart University.

In the baseball game, freshman Mike Harris, pitching in only his third collegiate game, retired the first 19 batters before surrendering a walk in the bottom of the seventh. No other Sacred Heart batter reached base. The Rams won, 6-0.

In the softball game, Sacred Heart's first runner took base on an error and later scored on an error, tying the game at 1-1. But senior team captain Gwen Rack tallied seven strikeouts and allowed only one walk, bringing home the 6-1 victory for the Rams.

-- Compiled by Kay Hawes

Number crunching

Looking back

30 years ago

In April 1972, the NCAA Council's primary agenda items were an impending reorganization of the Association's governance structure and operation changes in the NCAA enforcement process.

The Council supported a 1972 Convention proposal that would establish one constitution, but separate voting within two, three or four divisions. Each division would have specifics set out in the bylaws as to the number of grants-in-aid. A member institution could pick its division but would be bound to remain there for all sports.

The Council also proposed legislation designed to improve the enforcement operation and relieve the Council of some of its workload in that area. Instead of being a fact-finding body, the Committee on Infractions would expand from three to five members, be empowered to try infractions cases and be able to impose penalties. The NCAA enforcement staff would be the fact finder and would present alleged violations to the committee. Any institution found in violation could appeal to the Council.

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Also 30 years ago, the University of California, Los Angeles, celebrated a sixth straight title in men's basketball, defeating Florida State University, 81-76. Coach John Wooden's Bruins faced their largest deficit of the season at 21-14 before overwhelming Hugh Durham's Seminoles. UCLA's Bill Walton was named the tournament's most outstanding player after a 24-point, 20-rebound performance.

An important transaction occurred that spring as well, as former Washington State University and Utah State University assistant men's basketball coach Dale Brown took the top basketball position at Louisiana State University. Brown replaced Press Maravich. Also, the University of Kentucky's Adolph Rupp retired from coaching basketball. He was replaced by Joe B. Hall.

Finally, a typographer's strike delayed production of The NCAA News in April 1972. The Association's newspaper, which at that time was published 19 times per year, resumed its normal print schedule in June.

(The NCAA News, April 1972)