Pacific Drops Football

The University of Pacific, which has had a football team for 77 years, is dropping the sport next season to save money.

The Board of Regents voted in a special meeting Tuesday to disband the team for at least one year. The decision does not affect any of the school’s other Division I-A sports programs.

Pacific, the only private school in the Big West Conference, had a 3-8 record last season.

“Dropping football at this time is recognition of the fact that there is a $400,000 shortfall in the athletic budget for the current fiscal year, and elimination of this program will reduce the likelihood of an additional shortfall in the future,” Pacific President Donald DeRosa said.

Pacific Coach Chuck Shelton said: “While I am disappointed in the decision, my efforts must be totally committed to the athletes and coaches who this so direly affects.”

The university was contacting the players and coaches, Athletic Director Bob Lee said. Pacific plans to honor all scholarships for current players.

DeRosa said Pacific would not rule out the the return of football “at the appropriate level,” in the future.

Pacific has recently tried to make up for the budget shortfall by playing a grueling, yet profitable, nonconference schedule. This year the school received a reported $840,000 for playing such teams as No. 1 Nebraska, Oregon, Arizona and Fresno State.