After the dust settled on the athletic department's decision, there are still people left standing and fighting for what they've lost, despite the fact that they have been told the decision is final.
This decision to cut four sports has affected more than one hundred athletes and every one of them has a story that they want the administration to hear. Stories they never got to tell because no one ever asked.
Juniors from all three teams said they aren't sure if they want to continue putting money into an institution that they don't feel respects them. They have made memories here, but those memories may not overshadow the anger they feel.
Do I want my diploma to say 'Ohio'? Do I want my diploma to remind me every day of the organization
the institution that took away the biggest love of my life? swimmer Cy Moser said.
Junior John Willis from the track and field team said that when he walked on his freshman year, he was receiving an opportunity that other schools may not have presented.
From high school to my freshman year of college I worked so hard for this team said Willis. It's hard to take I mean (the seniors) all get to leave at the end of the year having had their four years
and I get my senior year a year early.
Senior Craig Leon redshirted last season and has a year of eligibility left after this one, however, because of the timing of the announcement he has missed graduation deadlines for other schools and therefore is stuck.
It has now become too late to enroll in most schools and also too late for some athletes to redshirt and save a year of eligibility.
We'd do it for nothing
One of the reasons that Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt gave last Thursday was that the department is no longer able to provide the experience that they'd like to.
It's obvious that because of our financial position
we were not providing our student-athletes with the high-quality experience that is expected at Ohio University
Hocutt said.
Athletes from these sports all agree they would compete for nothing.
That's like putting the cotton swab on my arm before you inject me with the lethal injection
senior Austin Schiele, track and field team member, said. What is that going to do? Nothing. That's not helping us. That's not making us feel better
Moser said the team managed to succeed even through the phasing out of its scholarships.
If the administration told us we had to pack bag lunches on our trips for food we'd do that to keep the program
said Moser.
Senior thrower Eric Bildstein, said that the team is constantly finding ways to save money, including ordering pizza on trips instead of going out to restaurants.
Lacrosse team members Shannon Hadaway and Jen Heup said that they agree.
I know that if they had said 'Hey we're not going to be able to buy you new sticks or we're not going to be able to buy you uniforms
we would have been OK with that
said Heup.
Family separation
At the beginning of the academic year Hocutt gave a speech to the athletes regarding the three T's of his goals: tradition, titles and teamwork. Many athletes from the cut teams are now feeling differently about the speech.
Junior swimmer Drew Stetson said that the teamwork aspect is going to affect the women's side of swimming.
It's like a family
and to break that it's just going to affect the women's teams as well
