UC Irvine Ends Funding of 5 Sports : Cutbacks: No programs are dropped, but water polo, four others will get no financial support from school.

None of UC Irvine’s 19 sports will be dropped in order to solve an athletic department budget crisis, but five sports will not receive any funds from the university, the school announced Wednesday.

The three-time national champion water polo program, men’s soccer, men’s volleyball, crew and sailing must now operate on funds the programs raise themselves, Athletic Director Tom Ford said.

None of the school’s sports escaped cuts as the department sliced $526,000 from a $4-million budget.

Water polo Coach Ted Newland, who recently pledged $20,000 to his team and accepted early retirement while planning to coach on a part-timer’s salary, must raise $37,800 to keep his team afloat.

“This hurts, having been there 25 years, paid my dues, and been pretty damn successful,” said Newland.

“Basically, they’ve dropped the sport,” he said. “I guess what they’ll do for me is sign the NCAA forms. I get absolutely no funding, from the paper I use to the phone.”

Bill Ashen, men’s volleyball coach, and Derek Lawther, men’s soccer coach, said they are confident they can raise enough money.

University officials once thought five sports might be dropped, and baseball, with a budget of $200,000, was considered a likely target.

“We were on our death bed,” said baseball Coach Mike Gerakos, whose team wore black armbands during the final game of the season.

Gerakos said two of his four recruits have wavered on their commitments, and Irvine will not hold them to those commitments.