Nevada has announced that it will reduce its support for scholarships and operational costs for its men’s and women’s skiing team and that it intends to eliminate all funding for the program after 2009-10.

Donors and other funding sources will pay operational costs for the team in 2009-10. The school will continue to fund tuition and personnel costs.

“We are all facing challenging economic times, and we have tried to make cuts that will have a minimal impact on the student-athlete experience,” Athletics Director Cary Groth said.

“We didn’t want to cut student-athletes’ opportunities in sports, but we have had very tough choices to make and will not be able to fund the program after the 2009-10 season. I have met with our ski staff and boosters, and we are discussing alternatives of continuing or ski tradition. Possibilities include being funded by donors or becoming a club sport.”

Nevada sustained a 15 percent reduction in state funding for each of the next two years, leading the athletics department to make up the $33 million annual shortfall by cutting scholarships across the board, reducing all sport and operational budgets, trimming support services, and instituting a soft hiring freeze.