End of Tradition

This past week an announcement was made by Lock Haven University administrators that the university would discontinue the baseball program. Reasoning behind this tough decision was due because of financial constraints. The universities administration sought input from coaches, athletics administrators, and other internal and external stakeholders. After careful analysis and evaluation, it was determined that discontinuing baseball was the appropriate option.

With the current economic status with universities public and private, this trend will soon be happening more across the country. This is a sad day for LHU athletics and especially for the baseball program which had such a great tradition.

The baseball program currently has 28 players and 2 coaches on the roster. 25 of those players will have remaining eligibility if they choose to transfer to another institution. The university will also honor those players that have athletic based scholarships if they choose to stay at LHU.

Below is the email that was sent to all current and former students, as well as all facility and staff:

Following analysis and consultation, the administration of Lock Haven University has determined to discontinue the intercollegiate baseball program effective the end of the 2009 season. The primary reason is financial. The University is not able to sustain its athletic program as it presently exists without doing significant harm to intercollegiate athletics as a whole and to our core academic mission.

The decision was not taken lightly. We sought and received input from athletic administrators, coaches, and external constituencies; the decision, however, was made at managerial level. We took into account such factors as the number of students and employees affected and the potential for sustainability of the program through donations.

The affected coaches and student-athletes have been notified. Students with remaining eligibility will be able to transfer if they so wish. Those who remain at LHU will continue to receive their scholarships.

Baseball at Lock Haven University has a long history and a rich tradition. The loss of any such program is painful and not made less so by recognition that hard decisions are now required to meet the challenges facing our university. Please find attached a document with questions and answers.


Roger Johnson, Interim Provost
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania