Wisconsin-Superior announced a suspension of its varsity women’s golf program for two years to help reduce spending in the face of state funding reductions.

“This is part of what we have to do to maintain our department’s financial goals,” said Steve Nelson, director of athletics, stressing that the sport is not being eliminated.

“We fully intend to bring golf back, and over the next two years to look at the possibility of even increasing our athletics offerings,” he said.

Golf was selected because it affects the fewest students, Nelson said. The team typically has five to seven student-athletes. The school does not sponsor men’s golf.

Nelson said he has notified the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of the decision to idle the team until 2011-2012. The sport was sponsored by eight of the league’s nine members during 2008-09.

He said women’s lacrosse may be considered for in the future sponsorship, because of its growing popularity.

With the golf program’s suspension, Wisconsin-Superior will sponsor seven varsity sports for women: basketball, cross country, ice hockey, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball.

The university offers six sports – baseball, basketball, cross country, hockey, soccer, and track and field – for men.